D and S and Me: Holy Week and Easter 2011

We survived! I really enjoy Holy Week, the whole season of Lent actually, but by the time the last Easter Sunday service rolls around I'm ready for a little rest. No, I don't have to preach at any of these services, and no I'm not even in the front beginning worship or reading at all of them... it's far worse than that - it's the lighting! I think that sums up one of the most difficult parts of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil - lighting. Why? Because it pulls together all the complications of Holy Week. Meeting the worship teams needs/desires, the "feel" of the space and the service, solid volunteers and timing. There is negotiation, pre-planning, last minute switching, training, answering questions, answering the same questions with a different person, lots of general running around and of course, realizing that after doing all of this last year, I have no recollection of what switch number 17 does - for the record, it turns on the spots in the balcony.

All that said, it was a remarkable Holy Week and at Lake Park, I have to say, we do a really good job. Palm Sunday's service made it to the online Journal Sentinal (oddly I don't know if it made it in print because no one on staff gets the real physical paper anymore!) Maundy Thursday though a lighter service attendance wise is really one of my favorite and most moving services of the year. For the second year, I assisted with the foot washing - the thing that kept me away from Maundy Thursday services when I first came to Lake Park, I now wouldn't feel complete without having it during Holy Week. Dylan ran around wildly during the Good Friday children's service - oh well, there is always next year. Easter Vigil followed by the late night festivities is just awesome and the set-up for Easter Sunday went quickly so I got home by 12:30AM this year!

Easter Sunday added a new service for us. Which as a staff person meant a quick turn around time between the many events of the morning, but for our family actually worked out really well. We had the outdoor sunrise service at the park with a view of Lake Michigan at 7AM. At 7:50AM we were back at church finalizing the set-up for 8AM worship which was actually well attended. 10AM Easter Sunday was packed as usual but one of the smoothest services you could imagine with that many people. Good music, children singing, great sermon, a little "Hear Comes the Sun" during the offering and processing out to 'Saints Go Marching In' Done!

Here are a few photos of Holy Week and Easter :)