Dear Saints of SSPC,

My family and I recently spent some time away from school during the kids’ spring break. And though it was a much-needed break from our day-to-day routine, I was surprised as our time away became part of my own Lenten journey. I have found that vacations can sometimes be difficult for me to truly enjoy, and yet I’m very good at them—I am a planner. I plan for best-case scenarios and worst-case scenarios. I plan snacks and meals and always have a plethora of napkins in the car for any spill we might endure. I fill up the car with gas the day before, and I have a running checklist in my head, ensuring that I begin setting aside what we will need to take in the days prior. I’m very good at vacations. But being very good at vacations doesn’t exactly free you to fully enjoy the vacations that you’ve planned. Sometimes, I over plan—taking the flexibility and, oftentimes, joy right out of our much-needed break, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the moment we are in when I am already planning the next moment in my head. 

I didn’t do it on purpose, but this break snuck up on me more quickly than others typically do. Certainly, I planned the travel, a few outings, and had my “Mary Poppins Mom Bag” full of tricks packed accordingly. But much remained unplanned—an unfamiliar and foreign feeling for the planner that resides so comfortably within me. And yet, in this unplanned freedom that I stumbled upon, I began to feel myself relax. I found myself resting in the care of others, letting them set any agenda we might enjoy. I basked in the gift of unexpected playmates for my children and long, lingering meals with dear friends. It felt freeing, restful, and peaceful.  

Unfortunately, in my line of work, Lent often becomes a season in the life of the church to “get through” rather than live into. It often becomes a season that I am more inclined to plan or over-plan than a season I am called to live and experience. And so, perhaps more than ever, I have been grateful for reminders to be still and be at peace. I have been grateful for moments to sit in gratitude and joy in awe of all that God has given me and know that even if I might desire to control or plan what’s happening around me, that is not my job. And if I make it my job, I am, first of all, fooling myself to think that I have any control at all. And secondly, I am at great risk of missing the blessings that God desires to shower upon me every day—in simple, unplanned, uncontrolled moments. What initially felt like a lack of planning helped me to stumble upon the grace that God so desperately wanted to give. A reminder that true joy, true happiness, and true contentment cannot be bought, planned, or controlled. Rather, they appear in grace poured upon us by a God who wants us to know the depth of God’s love for us.  

It is my deep hope and prayer that in these final days of Lent and in the Holy Week to come, you too might know the depth of God’s great love. It is my hope that you might be able to rest in the grace of our Lord and recognize that grace when it appears in simple, unplanned, uncontrolled moments of your day. If you do, I hope that you will share those moments with me and with others. I think we do a great disservice to one another when we only keep those moments to ourselves. May these remaining days of Lent be days in which you open your heart more widely and your eyes more fully to the grace and peace that God prepares for you each day. May you bask in the richness of God’s glory and remember how beloved you are.

With gratitude for our life together,

Rachel 

 It was a wonderful spring break, and I thank you for the time you took away. So much of “this thing called life” is happening in the coming weeks – births, graduations, weddings, and deaths. These rites of passage mark time passing, and we go through them the best that we can, running or limping. This journey we are on is precarious at best, but knowing that we have friends, family, and our faith makes it easier to bear. I hope that you will be able to come to each service during Holy Week. It really makes the journey to Easter more meaningful.

Palm Sunday begins the journey of Holy Week. The Chancel Choir will lead us in a procession of “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” played with trumpets, handbells, and drums. For the prelude, the children will offer “Sing Hosanna!” (In rehearsal, we talked about how dirty their coats must have been when they laid them on the ground for Jesus to pass by. The children must have gotten in trouble with their parents for being gone so long and coming back dirty and with ripped clothing, but the beaming faces probably made all that go away.) The Chancel Choir will offer Joel Raney’s “Hosanna in the Highest” with handbells and hand drums. The whole service will feature the events of Palm Sunday, complete with handheld palm branches and beautiful big potted palms in the sanctuary.

On Monday, April 14, our own Rachel Rhodes will be preaching at St. Simons United Methodist Church. The Glynn Academy Chamber Choir will be singing, so come a little early (11:45) to hear them. On Tuesday, Lucas Ramirez, pastor of Wesley Church, will be preaching at First Baptist Church. On Wednesday, Tom Purdy, rector of Christ Church Episcopal, will be preaching at Wesley Church. All these services begin at 12 noon, and lunch is available beginning at 12:30 pm. On Thursday at 7:00 pm at SSPC, we remember the Last Supper with communion and a message in our sanctuary. On Friday, lunch begins at 11:30, and the 3-hour vigil begins at 12:30 and lasts until 3:30. There will be 7 different pastors, with music and hymn singing in between each Last Word of Jesus. The beauty of this service is that you can come and go with each segment. I’ve stayed all three hours, and it goes by really fast.

On Sunday, we see the sunrise and worship at the pier at 6:30 am. Rev. Rob James, the new pastor of First Baptist, will preach, and Faith Hamilton-Trent and Lois Gurney will provide music. Various pastors will read scripture. At SSPC, we will have identical services at 8:30 and 10:30 am. The Chancel Choir and Chancel Ensemble, with a small group of Chancel Ringers, will celebrate Easter with music that inspires. “On the Third Day” by Allen Pote, “Magdalena” by Johannes Brahms, an arrangement of “Jesus Christ is Risen Today” by our own Mark Lochstampfor, is planned for worship. The Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah is part of the service, so please stay until this is over. Some of you may know it and want to sing along. We certainly invite you to do so. This will all be followed by a lunch and Easter Egg Hunt! The last part of the Holy Week journey is a long afternoon nap! Make sure that you don’t miss that.

Love & Gratitude, Rhonda 

P. S. The Variety Show is on Wednesday, April 23, after dinner! Looking for children and youth to perform! Contact Ms. Frieda or Ms. Rhonda to participate.  

Sunday, April 13

PALM SUNDAY

8:30 am Early Worship - Sanctuary

9:00 am Confirmation Class - Youth Suite

9:30 am Sunday School - Various Locations

10:30 am Late Worship - Sanctuary

5:00 pm Youth Ensemble - Music Attic

6:00 pm Youth Group - Youth Suite

Monday, April 14

DAY OF AUTHORITY

10:00 am Worship and Music - Upper Room

11:00 am Doris Hewill Memorial Service - Sanctuary

12:00 pm Community Holy Week Service (Rachel Rhodes) - SSUMC

3:00 pm Salvation Army Cooking - Kitchen

6:30 pm Al-Anon Meeting - John Law

Tuesday, April 15

DAY OF CONFLICT

7:00 am Youth Devotions - Chick-Fil-A SSI

9:30 am Staff Meeting - Upper Room

12:00 pm Community Holy Week Service (Lucas Ramirez) - FBC

4:00 pm Session Meeting - Upper Room

8:00 pm Codependents Anon - John Law

Wednesday, April 16

DAY OF WITHDRAWAL

9:00 am Hands and Heart Quilting Ministry - Music Attic

10:00 am Grief Support Group - Parlor

10:00 am Men's Bible Study - Upper Room

11:00 am Early Music Ensemble - Rhonda's Office

12:00 pm Community Holy Week Service (Tom Purdy) - Wesley

3:00 pm Sonshine for the Soul - John Law

3:00 pm Chancel Ensemble - Sanctuary

4:00 pm KidZ Crew - Veranda

5:00 pm Chancel Ringers - Sanctuary

6:00 pm Wednesday Night Supper - Social Hall

6:45 pm Chancel Choir - Sanctuary

Thursday, April 17

DAY OF INTIMACY

4:00 pm Buildings and Grounds - John Law

5:30 pm ODD Book Group - John Law

7:00 pm Maundy Thursday Worship - Sanctuary

Friday, April 18

DAY OF SACRIFICE

11:30 am Community Luncheon - Social Hall

12:30 pm Good Friday Three-Hour Vigil - Sanctuary