I have always loved Easter, but in the last several years it has been even more wonderful! Starting with the Tre Ore on Good Friday. We heard a wonderful sermon and also had the Bach Collegium perform the Shutz St. John Passion.
Friday night we went dancing with our friends at the dance studio where we are members. We were trying to decide whether to go or not since it was Good Friday, so we just followed our pastor's lead.
Saturday our youngest son was being confirmed at the Easter Vigil so we had family coming from out of town. We spent the morning cleaning and working on dinner, and the late afternoon enjoying our family and friends. The boys had to leave at 6:00 to go get ready for the vigil, the older two to acolyte and the younger because he was a confirmand. The Easter Vigil is really a magnificent service, and has joined Easter Sunday as a co-favorite for me. The boys were all excited because there was going to be incense. They would have incense all the time.
There was definitely incense! It was a beautiful, majestic, wonderful service, made doubly special for us watching Andrew be confirmed. Pastor picked the perfect confirmation verse for my little worrywart: Isaiah 41:10: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yea, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
And of course, Sunday was Easter. I love Easter. It has always been my favorite holiday. When I was a little kid everyone else at school liked Christmas for the presents, or Halloween for the candy. I was weird even then: I liked Easter for the hymns.
After church we waited while Bethany played the organ for our Spanish-language service, and then we took a drive through the country down to Decatur where we had lunch with our friends at the Back 40 Junction. Coincidentally, my mom and step-dad brought my grandparents to eat at the same time. It was my grandpa's 93rd birthday, so they were having a double celebration.
2 comments:
What a great day! I love the Easter hymns too. This year, like last year, at the conclusion of our last hymn our church choir performed the Alleluia chorus from Messiah. They did a supurb job. Again, like last year, the congregation stayed standing through the whole thing.
I read about your vigil service on Cyberstones, thinking of Patrick and how Caleb would have loved to be a part of that. We had a dinky procession - only 3! And no Cuban hips.
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