Monday / Palm Sunday Reflection
Be ready for the Presence. As you stand at the entryway of this journey towards Easter, grab a word or image that stood out to you during our worship gathering that you want to carry with you this week. Be attentive to how that word or image unfolds, invites you, awakens your senses and unravels. Be ready for the Presence.
Tuesday / Sacred Pause
It is easy in our schedules to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. And even when we are intentional about slowing down to look forward to Easter, we can find our minds swimming with thoughts and practices and every other thing that life throws at us – good or bad. Let’s take today to schedule a moment of nothing. Rather than not scheduling anything, let’s add a few minutes of reflection to our to-do list, just a moment of sacred pause.
We invite you to unclench your jaw, relax your shoulders, close your eyes if you can, and focus merely on your breath. An inhale, an exhale. Another inhale, another exhale. Simply be aware of your existence, just as you are. Thoughts may come flooding back in – and that’s ok. We can invite those interruptions. But let those breaths remind you of the Breath that was breathed into you at your creation. And remember that Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday – all of it – was because you are good and worthy.
Wednesday / Stations of the Cross
On this Holy Wednesday, we invite you to watch a contemplative video we have created that walks through each of the Stations of the Cross (filmed at nearby Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre). As you reflectively engage with this video – may each portrait of Jesus’ Passion – from the Garden of Gethsemane to the Empty Tomb – speak to you this week. May this be an opportunity to enter into the story with eyes to see anew. And in so doing, may you simply ask the Spirit: what did you want me to see and sit with today? Our eyes and hearts are yours, Lord.
We will send out the video in our Lenten Offering during Holy Week. You will also be able to access it here on our church YouTube channel: youtube.com/@TheChurchWeHopeFor/videos
Thursday / Communion Feast Pics
Today is Maundy Thursday, the day our LORD intentionally held space to feast with his 12 disciples on the eve of his arrest, trial, and crucifixion. As we anticipate Good Friday, take a meal to practice feasting with others (a friend, friends, or familia). Don’t overcomplicate it; you can grab takeout, or make your favorite family recipe, or go out. The invitation is to simply share a meal with a posture of gratitude. If you feel led, take a photo and share it on social media, and list one way in which you are grateful for this time with your guest(s). Tag us if you like!
Good Friday
We have been invited by our friends at La Fuente Ministries in Pasadena to join them in person or online livestream for their Good Friday Service, Friday at 7:00 PM at 3700 E. Sierra Madre Blvd, Pasadena 91107. This will be an opportunity for us to commune with another church familia during Holy Week. Online community can watch at youtube.com/@lafuenteministries/streams
Holy Saturday / Contemplative Hike
May the God of peace make you holy & whole. May God put you together spirit, soul, & body & thus ready for the Presence. — 1 Thessalonians 5:23
The mystics knew long ago what research now supports; that spending time in nature enhances your psychological well-being. As we ready for the Presence this Holy Saturday, we will engage hiking as a tool la Espíritu Santa uses to re-member our spirit, soul, & body. As part of our journey, we will take time to tune into the Spirit’s presence as we wait and engage, knowing we move toward the holiness and wholeness that Jesus brings in resurrection; even as we experience the individual and collective tension that our journey brings. We hope that this pause will help us to notice the spirit’s movement and invitation to deeper connection, with God, ourselves, and within our Familia.
Join us at 10 AM on Saturday, April 8th at the Catalina Verdugo Trail in Glendale: 2200 Fern Lane. Glendale, CA. 91208
• The trailhead starts in the NW corner of the Glendale Sports Complex parking lot.
• This 2.8-mile loop is ranked “easy” and accessible to all ages. Human and fur children are welcome.
• We encourage you to bring plenty of water, snacks and wear solid shoes.
Resurrection Sunday
We’ll celebrate Easter together in two ways as a church familia: First, we will gather for our Easter Sunday Service, at 4 PM at MissionGathering Pasadena.
Second, we invite you to join us after service for a Church Familia Dinner, 6 PM at church.
We’ll have more details to come on our shared meal. In the meantime, if you’re joining us that evening for dinner, we’d love to have you RSVP for Easter dinner.
Download the Holy Week Guide
Click the image below to download the 2023 Holy Week Guide.
