At our last house meeting, we were talking about the meaning of Lent and Easter in our lives.  Most people think of Easter as a one-day celebration, just as they tend to think of Christmas or Pentecost as a one-day event.  Actually, when the church began developing the liturgical calendar in its early centuries, it came to view the year as centering upon two major “cycles,” both of which begin with a period of penitence and preparation, and conclude in a season of joy.
   
The “Christmas Cycle” begins with Advent, moves to Christmas Day, and then the Christmas Season of Twelve Days follows, ending on the evening before Epiphany - January 6th.
   
The “Easter Cycle” begins with Ash Wednesday and the Forty Days of Lent, moves to Easter Day, and then the “Great Fifty Days” of the Easter Season follows, ending on the eve of Pentecost.   
   
Easter was called in the early Christian Church, Pascha, a word derived from the Hebrew for Passover.  Much later the word Easter, which comes from the Anglo-Saxon Spring Goddess “Eostre,” came to denote the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.  The “Great Fifty Days of Easter” is the oldest festival of the church year, older than either Lent or Advent.
   
Since the day of Jesus' resurrection was Sunday, the early church, in a sense,  broke the fourth Commandment:  Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy!  and changed their Sabbath to Sunday, the first day of the week.  Every Sunday, then, is a “little Easter,” celebrating Christ’s resurrection, his victory over death.
   
The six Sundays within Lent are not part of the Lenten season, which is why, if you count the days between Ash Wednesday through the Saturday before Easter, you come up with 46 rather than 40 days - you have to subtract the six Sundays, which are designated “Sundays in Lent, ”  not “Sundays of Lent.”
   
What does all of this mean?  First, that Easter is more than one day.  We can celebrate every Sunday as Easter ...we can reclaim the great Fifty Days and extend our Easter celebration to Pentecost.  But even more than these, we can understand Easter to be a continuing reality, since it changes everything and every day.  Easter gives us a new perspective for viewing all of life, and its message may break through to us in our feelings of deadness at any time - especially at unexpected times. 
   
In our communion liturgy we mention the story of the two disciples making their way on the road of broken hope toward Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).  I like this story because it is instructive for us.  The risen Christ may become real for us when we least expect it … when our dreams and hopes are broken.  Perhaps at first, like them, we do not recognize Christ, who is with us on our roads of heaviness and heartbreak.  Life often has “little deaths,” or “Good Fridays,” -- times when the future seems dark; times when others say “no” to us; times when others question our worth and dignity.  But Easter is not confined to one day -- the message of Easter is Life breaking out of any confines.  There are “little Easters” as well, when the Resurrection that is God’s final word reaches back into life, releases us and lifts us and gives us new visions and hopes.
   
How long is Easter?  It can be one day, fifty days, 52 Sundays … all the other days are open for God’s resurrecting love.
   
May we know this love just when we need it most.
   
I wish you a blessed Lenten and Easter time.     

Rev. Wilfried
Rev. Wilfried Glabach
minister@sanfranciscoucc.org 

 

 
It is truly remarkable what our donations and gifts will do.  With our money to One Great Hour of  Sharing, the United Church of  Christ offers hope and well-being to people around the world.  In the last couple of weeks, money from OGHS was used to help the victims of the tsunami in Asia.  Working with international ministry partners and with the domestic UCC disaster network, Wider Church Ministries of the UCC uses the offering to help people make basic improvements in their lives.
   
By giving to OGHS, you connect with communities suffering from poverty, illiteracy, illness and the dangers of wars and disasters.  By the time such a crisis, like the tsunami becomes news, your offerings are already at work.  Together, we reach out around the world in compassion, adding hope and dignity to life.
   
All gifts to OGHS are tax deductible.  OGHS only supports programs internationally for building sustainable communities,
Emergency relief and rehabilitation, refugee advocacy and resettlement and international and domestic disaster preparedness and response.
   
We will dedicate our OGHS offering in a special service on Sunday, March 13th.

 
One Great Hour of Sharing is the special offering of the United Church of Christ that serves persons with needs resulting from natural disasters and political or economic crises. This offering supports programs of sustainable development, emergency relief, disaster response, social service, and refugee resettlement. It works by channeling resources for the self-empowerment of communities and individuals victimized by hunger, poverty, and injustice. 

Eight Christian denominations and Church World Service work together to develop common promotional materials, sharing ideas and costs. Each denomination receives and manages their respective OGHS offerings. 

More than 50% of the UCC’s offering supports international development initiatives, including annual support for approximately ten missionaries working in health care, education, and agricultural development. Gifts are also used for disaster response (26%), social services (13%), and refugee assistance (9%). 

The OGHS special offering is received through local UCC congregations. This year, we will collect the OGHS offering on Sunday, March 28th.   You may include it in the offering on that day or mail it to the church by Friday, March 26th.

 If you have any questions or need further information, you may contact Treasurer Nancy McManus.

THURSDAY CIRCLE
There will be a no-host meeting of the Thursday Circle on March 3rd at 11:45 AM in the Third Floor Meeting Room of the Urban Life Center.

Please bring a sandwich or lunch; coffee, tea and a light dessert will be served.

All members and friends are invited.

BUILDING 5 COMMITTEE
The Building 5 Committee will meet on Thursday, March 10th at
7 PM in the 3rd floor Meeting Room. 

STEERING COMMITTEE
The Steering Committee will meet at 12:30 PM on Sunday, March 13th at 1300 Polk Street. 
   
All members are welcome to attend and observe.

SENIOR SERVICES FOR MARCH
March 2nd:  Bridge Point -- 1601 19th Avenue, 3:30 PM
March 17th:  Coventry Park -- 1550 Sutter Street 11 AM
March 24th:  Eden Villa -- 2750 Geary Boulevard, 3 PM

All are welcome to attend.

RAINBOW VISITS MCC
Rainbow Fellowship will atttend the evening service of the MEtropolitan Community Church in the Castro on Sunday, March 13th.  Meet at MCC just before 7 PM at 150 Eureak, near 18th Street.  After the service, we will go to a nearby cafe for supper together.  .

Contact either Ken Tipton  or Rev. Wilfried at the church (415) 441-8901 or email at:  minister@sanfranciscoucc.org for further information.

WORSHIP AT 1302 POLK
We now worship every Sunday at 1302 Polk Street.  Join us at 11 AM.

HOLY WEEK SERVICES
Palm Sunday,  March 20th:    11 AM at 1302 Polk Street
Maundy Thursday, March 24th:  3 PM at Eden Villa,  2440 Geary Blvd.
Good Friday, March 25th:  12 noon at 1302 Polk Street

3rd:   Thursday Circle -- Urban Life Center Third Floor 11:45 AM

4th:   World Day of Prayer

6th:   SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
        Worship -- 1302 Polk Street  Wilfried Glabach Preaching

10th   Building 5 Committee -- Urban Life Center Third Floor 7 PM

13th:  THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT/ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING SUNDAY 
        Worship -- 1302 Polk Street 11 AM  Wilfried Glabach Preaching
        Steering Committee Meeting -- 1302 Polk Street 12:30 PM
        Rainbow  Fellowship -- 6:30 PM  MCC

14th:  Lower Polk Neighbors -- 3 PM

15th:  Columns DEADLINE

16th:  House Meeting and Potluck - Wilfried's  6:30 PM

17th:  Senior Service at Coventry Park -- 1550 Sutter Street 11 AM
         St. Patrick's Day 

20th:  PALM SUNDAY
        Worship -- 1302 Polk Street 11 AM  Wilfried Glabach Preaching

24th:   Maundy Thursday Senior Service at Eden Villa -- 2750 Geary Boulevard 3:30 PM

25th:  Good Friday Service -- 1302 Polk Street 12 Noon

27th:  EASTER SUNDAY
          Worship -- 1302 Polk Street 11 AM  Wilfried Glabach Preaching