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Dear <<First Name>>,
Today begins Holy Week! We start off with the joy of Palm Sunday and quickly move through Jerusalem to the upper room and the Last Supper to the somber days of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. It's a week of shadows surrounded by light.
If you remember, the seasons of the Christian year have told us of the arrival of the light of the world at Christmas, the revelation of Jesus as the Christ and God's Son at Epiphany, but now we have stepped into the shadows of Lent as we wait for Easter. While that sounds like a negative statement, shadows can be a really good thing. I think of my dog hiding in the shadows when she's overheated on a summer day. I think of the restorative power of an umbrella's shadow on a warm beach. And I think of the refuge in the shadow of God's wings in Psalm 36.
So, let's spend some time in the shadows of Holy Week together. Maybe this week will inspire you to work for justice with the boldness of Jesus as he turns over tables and confronts those in power. Maybe you will take time to lament and grieve with the sadness of Christ's betrayal and crucifixion. Maybe you will find relaxation in the joy and hope as Jesus enters Jerusalem and as the brightness of Easter's coming seeps into the rest of our week.
As you enter Holy Week, I invite you to join me and the AIC community in prayerful contemplation as you discern where the Spirit is leading you in this week.
Rest assured that you are held in the grace of God and in my prayers,
Pastor Jared
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