Alleluia! Thanks be to God-and to our lay ministers!

                Alleluia! What a glorious Holy Week and Easter at Calvary Episcopal Church!

                Between Palm Sunday and Easter Day, we held thirteen services, including a Taizé service, Stations of the Cross, the dramatic Maundy Thursday and Good Friday liturgies, and finally, on Easter morning, a sunrise vigil which began our magnificent Easter Day worship.

                As you might imagine, a great many people were involved in making this holy season a truly moving and inspiring one. At any worship service, we have ushers, readers, intercessors, chalice bearers, acolytes, and musicians. For the special, and extra, Holy Week services, they served with grace and poise to ensure that the services went smoothly. Many thanks to Dick Sininger (readers, intercessors, and chalice bearers), Miriam McKenney (acolytes), Howard Helvey (mucho music), Peggy St. Clair, Susan Jackson, and Betsy DeMatteo (ushers) for coordinating these ministries. Thanks also to the Altar Guild members for the gorgeous flower arrangements on Easter Day.

                I want to recognize a few other individuals for their extraordinary service to the church, so that you may know the immense talents and cheerful commitments that they have made. You may not have attended the services to know what they did, but their work should not go unrecognized.

                First, on Palm Sunday, Rex Van Alstine convincingly and powerfully played the part of Joseph of Arimathea in a Passion Play written by Charles Parsons. We were blessed that Charles was able to come to church that day and see his Passion Play brought to life. Thank you to Charles and thank you to Rex!

                The Taizé service on Wednesday in Holy Week was composed, as are all Taizé services, of music, prayer, and Scripture readings. But it is the music that shines, and that offers to us the meditative and transcendent experience that defines Taizé. Last week, Robb Feldhaus at the piano and Cliff Hardy as soloist led us through a truly amazing hour of contemplation and prayer. They knew just how to touch our hearts with their music. Robb also very graciously agreed to play piano at the 7:00 IN THE MORNING, BEFORE SUNRISE, vigil service! Now THAT was a lot of fun! Thank you, Robb!

                The Good Friday evening liturgy, a powerful remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, was rendered more powerful by the music played throughout the service. Satish Case Chetty played violin and viola solo and also accompanied by Howard Helvey on organ and piano. At some point during his playing, I cried. Thank you, Satish!

                And finally, the Easter Day reception was hosted by Wes Duncan and Terrell Lackey. They set up a wonderful reception for a joyous time, and we gathered in Hannaford Hall with "Alleluia!" in our heads and enjoyed one another's company. Thank you, Wes and Terrell!

                One of my most treasured memories of the past week was of the usher training session that took place after one of our church services. Peggy, Susan and Betsy are coordinating a new usher program and were signing up new ushers and giving instructions. "Your first job is to welcome people to church and hand them a bulletin." That says a lot. Ushers are the front line, so to speak, the first people that a newcomer will encounter when they enter the church. If we have no ushers, the guests are left to fend for themselves, and then they don't come back. They have not been welcomed. On Easter Day, ushers joyfully greeted everybody at the door and invited them into the church, and I know that all of the guests felt welcome at Calvary.

                At the training session, newly-recruited usher Satish said, "I will be at the door and give them this mad look." And then he gave the worst impression of a dour face that I have ever seen. Satish just cannot look mean! I have never seen him not smile and not make others smile. On Easter Day, as an usher, he greeted everyone with his smile and a bulletin. And to me, that is the essence of Calvary. You can't look mean if you tried. I hope you will all come to the reception for our new rector on Saturday, April 14 and welcome, with a smile, the priest who has been called to serve you beginning on July 1.