FAIRMOUNT
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST,
CONGREGATIONAL
(FAIRMOUNT COMMUNITY CHURCH)
Wichita, Kansas

Words & Pictures: Easter 2007 The Cross and the Lily -- symbols of the two extremes of Holy Week: Good Friday, which commemorates Jesus's suffering and death, and Easter Sunday, which commemorates Jesus' victorious Resurrection from Death. The Cross is draped in royal purple, symbolic of the title given Him by His persecuters, under which Jesus was crucified: King of the Jews. The lily, among the first and most glorious flowers of Spring, is a traditional symbol of new life, and its simple, plain color evokes Jesus' own purity and innocence. To prepare for the events of Holy Week, many of us have attended Wednesday evening religious studies of the Bible, aided by the late Rev. Gary Cox's book "Think Again", which comments on the various interpretations of the Bible, with tough questions and thoughtful insights about common Christian beliefs, over the centuries.   Here, in our study time, each of us is encouraged to put forward our own questions, and speak freely, offering our own thoughts on the important questions of faith. Everyone is welcomed and listened to, and we trust the Holy Spirit to enlighten us all through the words of one another, and the quality of our own hearing. The Lenten Season ends with Holy Week -- the week commemorating Jesus' final days on Earth and His Resurrection from death. On April 1st, the Sunday before Easter -- known as both Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday -- Christians celebrate two very different events of Holy Week: First, Jesus arrived triumphantly in Jerusalem, treated as an honored leader by the people, who saluted Him by waving palm branches -- a symbol of glory and honor normally reserved for great leaders. Yet within days, the people of Jerusalem turned against Jesus, at the urging of religious leaders, and demanded His crucifixion by their Roman rulers, as punishment for charges of blasphemy and rebellion. Jesus' suffering at the hands of His captors -- who mock, whip, and crucify Him -- is remembered as "Christ's Passion", observed on this day as Passion Sunday. Jesus' sacrifice, to bring new life to the world, was painful and miserable -- and made far worse by His betrayal or abandonment by almost everyone close to Him, and His final humiliation, persecution, torture, and execution upon the Cross. YET... in Holy Week, we are reminded that Jesus' suffering was not His end. The Bible teaches us that, on the third day of His death, Jesus arose from the grave, and appeared to His mother and disciples. His resurrection from the grave gave proof of the Eternal Life that transcends mortal existence, and gives hope to us all in even the darkest hour.

This year, Palm & Passion Sunday is remembered with four special gifts at Fairmount Church:   four new members -- each now thoroughly familiar and comfortable with the church after months of attendance -- declare they want to be members, in a brief ceremony at the start of the service. Flanked by Pastor Mike and congregation co-moderator Sally Hayes, they recite a brief Litany of Inclusion, in which they commit themselves to join with the Church in the struggle to bring Christ's love into the daily life of the world around us.

A visitor from the American Red Cross appeals to Fairmounters for that classic Christian commodity: the Blood of Life. As the Lenten cross at the foot of the altar reminds us, the Son of God gave freely of His blood, enduring the loss even to death. How much less is asked of us this day, to give a bit of blood so that others may live.

Leigh Cox reads to us the Bible account of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, and the events leading up to His betrayal, arrest, persecution and execution. This is the most complex week in the church calendar, as glory turns to agony -- and again returns to glory, with Eternal Life.

Kids are invited to sit at the foot of the altar, with Pastor Mike, as he explains the meaning of Palm Sunday, and the meaning of "Hosanna" -- "Save Us" -- the chant of the Jews welcoming Jesus to a captive Jerusalem, a colony of the Roman Empire, under Roman military occupation, in Jesus' time.

Pastor Mike passes out palm fronds to the kids, who joyously race through the church, passing them out to everyone, as a reminder of Jesus' grand entrance to Jerusalem.

Pastor Mike offers a special sermon, connecting the final persecution of Jesus with today's troubles.

As a last gesture of his sermon, the Pastor strews nails throughout the aisles, and instructs us to each take a nail, as a reminder of the price Jesus paid for the sins of Mankind -- the price he paid for our freedom from the bondage of death. After the service, some nails remained, as a reminder that the path to the Cross was not an easy one, and it exacted a painful price from our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ.