April 2, 2023 - Palm Sunday

Sunday, April 2, 2023 – Palm Sunday
Hello Everyone and greetings in Christ.
 
It’s almost Holy Week, are you ready yet?  I think I might be expected to find a hollow chocolate Baby Yoda – the parent’s Easter Candy hunt that happens before Jesus has even made it into Jerusalem.  Just like the dollar store putting out Easter Candy before Epiphany (Ukrainian Christmas, Jan.6), we always seem to be ahead of ourselves.
 
We go back through this drama every year, and it is so tempting to fast-forward through the coming week.  Can’t we just go from Palm Sunday’s Celebration that Jesus is King right into Easter Sunday – He is Risen?  Don’t you wish you could do that in real life? . . . .   But do you really?
 
Sit with that question for a moment.  What if you could skip over the hard parts of life?  The hard parts of Holy Week prepare us for when we face these moments ourselves.  We remember that Jesus endures betrayal and accusation.  We sit with him in the garden, and that opens our hearts to realize that he sits with us in that terrible waiting room where we wait for a nurse to come off shift to tell us how the surgery is going.  We go with him to the tomb, and we learn what it feels like so we know he goes with us to the funeral home.
 
In all three worship gatherings over the 8 days between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday – the longest worship service of the year because it is actually one week long worship service, we will sing “Stay with us through the night”.  https://youtu.be/LAYSeZ9C0DY
 
I am inviting you to enter into Holy Week next week.  Plan a way you will take in this ancient story.  Perhaps you will listen to a musical version like Jesus Christ Superstar or Bach’s St. Matthew’s Passion   Perhaps you will re-read the story.  Biblegateway.com will give you access to all kinds of versions.  The whole story is Matthew 21-27.  I will link the Contemporary English Version because it is an easier to read version.  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+21-27&version=CEV
 
This Sunday’s worship service will begin with a Palm parade with its events for Sunday.  With the children we will learn how Jesus overturned the tables in the temple on Monday.  We will go on to hear the stories associated with each day of this Holy Week, ending with Thursday.    We will not do communion this week even though it is the first week of the month.  Instead we will celebrate next week with Easter Communion.
 
 (Rev) Eli Carter-Morgan (they/them)
Spirit West United Church
Proud to share the land through Treaty 6
 
Faith Exploration - Explore big questions – What do we mean when we say God, Who was/is Jesus and how does he matter? What is the Bible and how should it influence us? What are your big questions? The Study Group open to anyone wherever you are on your faith journey. This can lead to Confirmation or Re-Affirmation of faith.  Please Let Eli know if you are interested. 
Schedule - after Church/Lunch on Sunday and on Wednesday afternoons at 2pm

• April 2 – Live with respect in Creation
• April 12, 16 – Seek Justice, Resist Evil
• April 19, 23 – Life, Death, Life beyond Death

 
GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER? – Join us in using cunning stealth and covert organization, to surprise our phenomenal Spirit West chefs.  Only at the ring of their doorbell, should they discover who will join them for dinner on their chosen night of gastronomical delights!! This fund-raiser for the church will take place in the next few months! It is a terrific time to enjoy a fabulous meal and fellowship. Those who wish to host a dinner are asked to contact Bill C 780-481-2662 or Sheila H at 780-960-3878 or  signup at the church. Hosts need to indicate the dates and times of their dinners and the number of guests they will be hosting. If there is a theme for the evening, this should also be provided.  Guests will have the opportunity to select where they will dine and to provide any dietary restrictions to the conveners (who will secretly pass on the information to the hosts).  A free will offering, in envelopes, will be collected by the host.  Please plan on attending one of these sensational evening parties and generously supporting our church.
 
DATES TO REMEMBER:

• Good Friday Service – 10:30 am, Fri, Apr 7
• Easter Sunday Service – 10:30am, Sun, Apr 9

 
EVENTS Happening in the CHURCH - Apr 2-10
         Mon, April 3, 6-8 pm – Embers (Brownies)
         Tues, April 4, 6-7pm – set up for Church of Christ service
         Wed, April 5, 6-9pm – Church of Christ service
         Thurs, Apr 6, 7-8:30pm  – choir practice
         Fri, April 7, 10:30 am – our Good Friday service
         Fri, April 7, 6-7pm – set up for Church of Christ service
         Sat, Apr 8, 7am - noon – Church of Christ service
         Sun, Apr 9 – 10:30am to noon – our service
         Mon, Apr 10 – office closed for Easter Monday
 
LEADERS for April 2 (Palm Sunday)

• Hospitality Team – Callas – Carol & Bill, Sue & Gerry
• Scripture Reader – Paul F
• Projectionist – Terri-Lyn / Sara

 
LEADERS for April 7 (Good Friday)

• Scripture Reader – Bob H
• Projectionist – Norma

 
LEADERS for April 9 (Easter Sunday)

• Hospitality Team – Doyle – Don & Daphne, David & Cathy, Tony
• Scripture Reader – Peter K
• Projectionist – Bruce C

 
OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES

• UNITED CHURCH EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE - Sun, April 9 (7:00am), Fire Pit at Emily Murphy Park, Edmonton (11904 Emily Murphy Park Rd NW). Warm yourself around a shared fire as the sun’s new light creeps through the trees and sing the first Hallelujahs of a new Easter morning. Bring your favorite morning beverage to enjoy. Organized by United Churches in Edmonton. For more information, contact Blaine Gregg at minister@spiritofhope.ca.
• Chalmers-Castledowns UC SPRING CRAFT MARKER. Sat, May 13, 10am-3pm. This fundraiser supports the life & work on the church in north west Edmonton
• HOW IS IT GOING? An invitation to Edmonton and Area United Churches (clergy and lay) to gather, to share, around the health and viability of their Community of Faith.  May 27th at McDougall United Church, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Come have conversation about resources, both people and money, leadership, administration and… Café Style with Juicy Questions. What consumes your energy now? What is happening with leadership both clergy and lay? What is happening with Committee work? Are there ways we can share resources, both human and otherwise around the tasks of work we all need to do? and then “What’s Next?” Bring your own lunch. Coffee, tea, snacks and parking will be provided. RSVP to McDougall United Church 780-428-1818  or finance@McDougallUnited.com by May 19th
• ST. STEPHEN'S COLLEGE FUNDRAISING GALA - Friday, June 16, 5-10pm, JW Marriott Ice District - 10344 102 St NW, Edmonton. Featuring live painting by Giselle Denis, live entertainment, guest speakers & silent auction - $250 per person, or $2000 per table of 8. A deductible charitable tax receipt will be issued for a portion of the ticket price after the event

 
YouTube Videos Worship Services – April 2 – also, in person worship service
To watch online, you will need to go to YouTube and google “Spirit West United Church”.
This action will bring you to the Spirit West United Church YouTube page.   
 
SPIRIT WEST PRAYER CHAIN
Prayer is important. We know that  people face challenges and difficulties and we cannot forget them.  Our Prayer Chain continues to be active.  If you have a prayer request, please send it to spiritwest.prayerchain@gmail.com.  These requests will be shared regularly with the prayer chain and may form part of the Prayers of the People in our Sunday Worship. 
Please remember to have people removed from the prayer chain if the prayers are no longer needed. 
 
YOUR BOTTLES FOR THE CHURCH
You may have bottles piling up for recycling.  You can bring them to the church (or you can call for pick up).  If you want to bring your bottles (and any other recyclable beverage containers) in during our office hours and put them directly in the Bottle Shed (by the garage), give us a call, and we can have the shed open for you.  All money raised from the return of bottles goes towards paying down the principal and interest on our mortgage. 
  
FINANCIAL SUPPORT

• We can accept donations by eTransfer.  The contact name for the eTransfer is Spirit West United Church, and the email address is spiritw@telus.net .  If you include a security question with your eTransfer, please notify Norma at the church office by phone or email of the answer.
• And remember that if you are not on PAR(Pre-Authorized Remittance) or even if you are , you can mail in cheques to the church office (Spirit West United Church, 7003 – 199 St. NW Edmonton, AB  T5T 3A8, include your envelope number if you have one.)
• You can drop off your offering/donation in the offering plate just inside the front doors or place it in the mailbox.
• You can also donate online by checking out the online donation option on our website spiritwest.org and click on the Donate tab in the navigation bar. 

 
SPIRIT WEST ONLINE!
Website:  www.spiritwest.org 
Facebook: Spirit West United Church and Friends of Spirit West Outreach
Instagram: spiritwestyeg
 YouTube:  Spirt West United Church, Edmonton
 
 Thank you,
 Norma Balcombe
Office Administrator
Spirit West United Church
7003 - 199st.NW Edmonton, AB T5T 3A8
phone:     (780) 481-1406
email:     spiritw@telus.net
website: www.spiritwest.org