All through Lent we have been using material created by Roddy Hamilton and his folks and it has been great. At least I think so and I believe our congregation enjoys being involved in the service. Our Sunday school young people make things ahead of time for the next Sunday and it's been wonderful to see their creations which they of course make with the assistance of their teachers.
I have been using a "talking" stick which is being wrapped with a different colored ribbon each week. These symbolize the story being told on that particular Sunday. Today's was, of course, green for palm branches and gold for King Jesus. Our stick came to us by way of Colorado. It's a piece of twisted pine that I've had in my breezeway for years. Who knew that God intended it to be a "talking" stick?
Today we had the addition of a banner that 30 young people made Friday and Saturday as they fasted for 30 hours. It's a bed sheet with "30 Hour Famine" spray painted and then each person's hand prints with their name. It's pretty cool. Can you imagine not eating one bite of food for 30 hours? They did it and collected $1,500 for hungry children in the world. They even made their own cardboard shelters to sleep in Friday night. Pictures will come later.
As a pastor it touched something deep within to see these young folks, all on their own, plan and coordinate the whole thing. I was just a resource, a chaperone. It was a beautiful thing to watch unfold.
God does some amazing things with very ordinary people. I shouldn't be surprised but honestly I am.
So maybe in a week or so I'll be back to posting my Sunday messages. This has been an awesome week. I'm looking forward to Holy Week services and Sunday's celebration of Jesus' resurrection.
May you all be blessed and graced by God this week.
