Wednesday, March 19, 2008
pushing pause on a strength: easter journey 2008
Our easter services: creative, contemporary, multi-sensory, happening Easter Thursday, Friday and Sunday. But note, for the first time in 10 years, there’s no Easter Journey (interactive art pilgrimage) at Opawa.
I wrote to the main organisers, Peter and Joyce on December 28, 2007, noting that Easter was the earliest it has been in 95 years and that given the enormous energy required to do our 2007 Christmas Journey, open for 60 hours continously in a public park, it might be time for a pause.
In hindsight, it was a good call. It’s a good discipline to pause something that you as a church are really well-known for. We’ve been able to give Peter and Joyce a weekend trip away. We’ve been less busy as a staff. We’ve been able to do more with Lent.
How about you? What have you discovered when you have paused something you’re really well known for?
)
Oh that really sucks. I love the Easter Journey and I was REALLY looking forward to it this year.
Flat out ruined my evening.
Comment by Sharyn — March 19, 2008 @ 10:30 pm
sorry the news ruined your evening. trust you appreciate the reasons, as outlined in the post.
the christmas journey in latimer square took SO much energy out of the Majendie’s and the church. it was important that we weren’t being driven by expectations (like yours :)), but willing to let our true selves, our tired selves, speak.
there’s still the 3 services, which are in the Easter Journey ethos of being creative and multi-sensory,
steve
Comment by steve — March 20, 2008 @ 8:31 am
For some reason Steve, when I read the post I thought about ‘resurrecting’ something that has been missing from our church community. Our church hasn’t had a Good Friday service for a few years now (much to my disappointment when I arrived at the church). I think it is time to consider un-pausing or resurecting it! Thanks.
Comment by mark — March 20, 2008 @ 9:01 am
Mark,
i am fascinated that a post on pausing something made you think of unpausing. i love the way minds work 🙂
steve
Comment by steve — March 20, 2008 @ 11:53 am
what a great opportunity to say to the church, (every once in a while)’you’re on your own! feed each other!’ Dads, maybe you’ll want to open your bible/lucadobook/mind/heart and bless your family with something just for them, from you.
one holiday Sunday as a child, the little village church stayed shut for some unknown reason, and my dad, a truck driver, took our family on a walk in the woods. He stopped and opened his bible and read some of Psalms 22 to us. Tears flowed down his face as he spoke of Jesus’ suffering. We’ll never forget that Easter. The church was closed but my dad’s heart was open.
Comment by kitty — March 20, 2008 @ 2:38 pm