Easter Sunday Celebrate BAPTISM!  Along with the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, Easter Sunday was the traditional day to baptize new believers in the early church. I have been to sunrise services on Easter Sundays when the minister takes a leafed branch, dips it in water at the baptismal font to sprinkle the congregation – a renewal of the baptismal experience… For anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and the new one is here. It is all God’s work. 2 Corinthians 5:17.18

Today he is risen! Risen indeed!

Holy Saturday Christ is the image of the unseen God,

The first-born of all creation Colossians 1:15

Good Friday  Jesus dies. The life in me trickles away, days of grief have gripped me. At night-time, sickness saps my bones, I am gnawed by wounds that never sleep. It has thrown me into the mud where I am no better than dust and ashes. I cry to you, and you give me answer; I stand before you, but you take no notice. Job 30: 16, 17, 19  It is one thing to empty. It is an even deeper thing to be emptied. Pain does this. It empties us, if we allow it to. Matthew Fox Suffering is the badge of the human race. Mahatma Gandhi

Maundy Thursday– This is the day when Christians remember Jesus washing his disciple’s feet. Joseph Beuys was a Performance Artist when he re-enacted this foot washing in the streets. His action was met with the same consternation as at Jesus’ time. It seems to be our nature to resist another’s kind service….but it need not be this way. Stop in this moment and be refreshed in God’s waiting kindnesses.

Wednesday of Holy Week The traditional primary theme for this day is our human need for healing and forgiveness. If we know that ‘God is love’ and so, promises to forgive us anything that would separate us from this love, why do we find it so hard to forgive ourselves? Holding ourselves accountable when God does not is perverse and plainly, sad. God can not speak to someone if this love is overridden with one’s own version of punishment. Release yourself for God’s sake!

Look at one object within your view. Let your eyes examine it – trace all its edges, colour, light, etc. Let your eyes rest on this object seemingly without purpose. Let your mind settle and relax.

By Flossie Peitsch

Essence Theme

LENTEN OVERVIEW: This is the last week of my Lenten 5 minute mini devos. I added a few thoughts for Easter too. These writings have been my Lenten commitment to you… but in my doing this, YOU have helped my journey.

It is traditional to give up something for Lent but it can also follow four (4) disciplines:

Repentance – self-examination

Prayer – Pray about life issues, including listening to God’s word

Fasting – Limiting or eliminating something you enjoy, as you feel you

are led to do

Service – Giving up personal time for others’ benefit

PREPARE: Pick a time when you will not be interrupted. Have beside you your Bible and light a candle. The purpose of the Devos is to momentarily simplify your spirituality by focusing on one thought or action. It is meant to be a step towards a new awareness using some of our God-given senses and attributes.

General Daily Outline

[Light the candle]

Say Out-loud

Though we own nothing, everything is ours. 2 Cor. 6:10b

[Daily Focus]

Say Out-loud

May the grace of God the creator, the love of our lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.

[Extinguish the candle]