Dear Restoration People,

What a Holy Week! Wow. It is truly a privilege and an honor to follow Jesus with you. In the spirit of documentation, organization, and celebration, here are a few key links, praises, and photos from our week together. Whether you joined us or not: May these memories bless you.

Maundy Thursday

We heard from Deacon Liz Stewart about the deep, deep love of Jesus and celebrated communion together. Thank you to our brand-new acolytes Keiara Blomberg and Lena Stawarz who served for the very first time! Restoration Singers chanted Psalm 22 while we watched Laura Clawson and Rachel Johnson strip the altar and shroud the cross in black.

Good Friday

We gathered in silence to mourn the death of Jesus on the cross, and Pastor Aaron Van Luven spoke to us about surrender, trust, and the necessity of approaching God on God’s terms. We spent time together at the cross, prayed for one another, and repented of our sins. Thank you to Lois Nyquist who never fails to bring us red rose petals for the cross, and for our immensely talented worship team who led us in reverence, awe, and contemplation.

From 1:30 to 6:00 p.m., our children led us through Stations of the Cross, teaching us what it means to reflect on the death of Jesus for us. Thank you to our Children’s Leadership Team, Emily Collings, and all our volunteers who crafted an unforgettable experience for our kids and adults.

Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil

Holy Saturday began with Shull Family Moving Company’s early arrival at the church building. With an army of volunteers, we moved countless items from the church to Minnehaha High School, successfully creating a worship space for the evening. Thank you to everyone who came early on Saturday to make an off-site worship service happen. (And then stayed late to bring all our items back!)

The day continued with rehearsals of all sorts. Thank you to our readers, greeters, musicians, and all who spent their Holy Saturday contributing to this labor of love.

By the time the Paschal Candle was lit, we were ready to party. We listened to the saving acts of God in history, heard my challenge to not be afraid, and witnessed the baptisms of Aletta Hillstrom and Thor Frank. We sang The Victorious Christ written by our very own Derek Boemler, and broke out in joy.

And then we packed up Minnehaha, took a nap, and came back to Chicago Avenue for…

Easter

Where we began as we love to begin, with “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” on the organ. We marveled at the incredible flower arrangement on the barnwood cross (Thank you Flower Team!) and heard Father Rick speak of perplexing, amazing Jesus, our true source of life.

None of this week would be possible without our amazing volunteers. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who contributed to this effort. We all pitched in, young and old, to make the love and power of Jesus known.

Special thanks to our Verger Team: Carrie Moseman, James Gisler, Sara Leyrer, Anna Sundblad, and Jack Bailey. Only you know the depth of work it takes to keep us (especially us clergy) in line. And deep thanks to Christie Fitch, whose skill as Sacristan blesses us all. Thank you!

If you made it this far…

Thank you. And remember: Easter season is 50 days! We’ve only just begun. Consider how you might continue the Feast in your own home. If you’re looking for opportunities through Restoration, consider:

Attending the Contemplation Cohort Retreat May 9-10, which is now open to the whole parish. Nine spots remain for individuals or couples.
Sharing The Victorious Christ with a friend, and taking the leap to attend the songwriting Worship Lab on May 24.
Attending our Newcomers Gatherings on May 18.
Joining us June 1 for an all-parish celebration and reflection on this past year.
Telling us about your Holy Week experience. Let us know how you encountered the Victorious Christ. I also encourage you to seek prayer from our prayer ministers as you process the events of this Holy Week.
Check out more photos!