Easter 2015

Barb and I have had an extraordinary Easter season.  We've been to five worship services in four days!

It began with the haunting and dramatic Maundy Thursday service at Epworth UMC in Cockeysville.  That service concludes with the "stripping of the altar" and covering the altar with a black drape.  The liturgy held on the evening of Maundy Thursday initiates the Easter Triduum, the period which commemorates the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ; this period includes Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and ends on  Easter.

The Good Friday service was held at Mays Chapel UMC this year and again the three women pastors at Timonium UMC, Epworth UMC, and Mays Chapel UMC worked together to create a beautiful event.  It was highlighted by the three Chancel Choirs from each of the churches singing together.

On Saturday, we visited my mother at Symphony Manor and we participated in the Mass presented by Father Ray and his niece (picture left) which was very well attended!  Father Ray is a delightful priest...very friendly...and we enjoyed his company. Afterwards, we had a lovely dinner with Mom and her friend, Mary.   Both are in the memory care unit at Symphony Manor on the third floor.  The menu was salmon or ham.

Very early Sunday morning, I woke up to assist in the preparation of the bonfire for the Easter Sonrise service at historic Jessops Methodist Church.  Epworth is responsible for the "retired" Jessops Church and we conduct three services there each year to keep the memories alive.  The 6:30 am "Sonrise" service is a long tradition.  This picture on the right is a little misleading because it actually was a lot darker than that.  You are seeing light from the parking lot light and the picture was taken around 6 am before members of the congregation had arrived.  The service began outside (thank you for the bonfire) and moved inside where it is heated...and then conclude outside again when the sun was just breaking out.

The Easter services concluded with one of the most special events of the day.  Our lead pastor,  Rev. Patricia Watson, invited one of Epworth's past pastors...Rev. Robert L. Hurley...to come up and help her serve communion.  Rev. Hurley had recently been coming back to Epworth thanks to Herbert and Phyllis Farmer who drive all the way from Towson to Shrewsbury, pick him up, and bring him back to Cockeysville.  What an extraordinary commitment.  And Rev. Watson had the wisdom to seize this opportunity and invite this "fan favorite" from decades ago to assist in communion despite him being 90-plus years old.  As the leader of the Seniors Ministry at Epworth, it was an emotional moment for me...and topped only by the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus at the end of the service.  What a great Easter.