Easter Greetings!
Holy Week in the Shenandoah River District was a season of remarkable connection. Rather than retreating into separate, repetitive services, several congregations in north Augusta County chose something bolder: collaboration.
Dayton, Weyers Cave, Mount Sidney, and Bethany United Methodist Churches, alongside Augusta Stone Presbyterian Church, joined together to host a community-wide Good Friday service titled "Funeral for Jesus." Local clergy stepped into the roles of biblical figures, portraying friends, followers, and family of Christ, and offering dramatic witness reflections that brought the crucifixion story to life. This wasn't scripture at arm's length. It was personal, vivid, and deeply human. Designed as a space for collective grief and contemplation, the service drew a larger, more diverse community into a shared and memorable observance.
This is just one story among many. Across the district, congregations are choosing to grow together rather than survive separately, showing up for one another with faith, energy, and purpose.
Thank you for the ways you welcomed your congregations and communities this Easter season!
| 
