Our very first Easter Season, or Passion week, at Grace House will be a memory and joy that is burned into my soul. It was not only the pinnacle of the Christian year, but the realization of decades of ministry work, prayer, and hope. As a new church family, our first Passover meal, Good Friday, and Resurrection Sunday were, collectively, a highpoint of our year so far.
Evangelical Protestants of the West are actually not very good at sacred rhythms, especially annual seasons of remembrance, fasting, and worship. Our Jewish, Orthodox, and more liturgical brothers and sisters have remained tethered to these ancient rhythms with more intention and joy. We typically focus only on Christmas and Easter, as seen by the significant up-tick in church attendance on at least those two days. If we really want to be “an old kind of new church,” engaging the Christian calendar and biblical rhythms will need to be part of our journey. And I, for one, am here for it.
Jesus died on Passover, a memorial feast day that was built for Him to fulfill with His substitutionary death almost 1500 years after the first Passover, in Egypt. Once I began to engage this ancient meal as a Jesus-follower, my personal faith and reading of the Scriptures was dramatically changed. Leading Passover meals for many years now, it was a special and culminating joy to do so, the first time of many, with our Grace House family. But I’ve got a surprising secret: the two-hour Haggadah service was not my favorite part, as magnificent as it was. For me, this time at least, the best part was watching a team of about 60 volunteers transform a room into a taste of heaven. It was a sight to behold. Every detail was done with care. Problems solved with grace. Worship even in the work.
With about 230 participants, incredible food, and a Spirit-filled look at Jesus in the Passover, our first seder meal was perfectly magnificent.
Starting that Sunday, I shared daily written devotional thoughts from the Scriptures, following biblical personalities through those final days with Jesus.
This led us to Friday evening at the Lone Star Convention Center. It was a simple service, and intentionally somber. But I must share, something special took place for me that night. In me. My wife has commented on it privately several times. The best way I can describe it is perhaps a kind of settling happened in my soul. Since January and our first Sunday gathering, I had been struggling with intermittent anxieties and worry. But Friday night, much of that was put to death by the Lord. The call to plant was always about making much of Jesus and calling people to trust Him and walk with Him in joy and freedom. Perhaps connecting the call with what happened in history, the very act of redemption, sparked a fresh joy and confidence. Whatever it was, I thank God for it. And it has remained. Recalling the long story of Jesus - the cross of Jesus was under construction for a very long time - with the Grace House family was a new kind of special.
This led to the artistry and wonder of SAVIOUR - The story of God’s passion for His people - a professional ballet from Ballet Excelsior of Houston. With original choreography from Liza Pollok and others, masterfully danced by several members of Grace House, the story captures the movement of God in a powerfully creative and worshipful way. Many from our church attended. It sat, perfectly perched on “silent Saturday” as we awaited the next dawn.
Back at Lone Star, Resurrection Sunday was our church’s first opportunity to gather for worship in the morning. That alone made it very special. Donuts after service from Malenee Donuts in Conroe made it extra special. But the tangible joy and spirit of the over 300 people who attended was the heart of the gathering. Recalling the story with the word and art helped us center in worship.
The only negative of the day was my (Scot’s) mistake in failing to instruct our guest sound technician to push “record” and capture the sermon. So… sadly, our first Grace House Easter sermon will live only in the hearts of those who attended in person. Here was the main point - Jesus’ resurrection is the gift of enduring meaning. And that will always be true, no less for our very first Resurrection Sunday.
What a joy to be doing this together.