A MESSAGE FROM REV. KAREN KINNEY: PUT YOURSELF IN THE SCENES
Grace and peace to you,
I want to extend an invitation to you to accompany Jesus in this last week of his life. This Sunday, April 13, is Palm Sunday, which marks the beginning of Holy Week, a time when we are given the opportunity to walk with Jesus. Pastor Lindsey will help us experience the rag-tag parade Jesus led into Jerusalem. We will wave our palms, put ourselves into the crowd, and begin to contemplate the suffering of Jesus.
Then on Thursday, April 17, you are invited to 
a new worship experience where we will walk with Jesus in his last 24 hours. Held in Fellowship Hall beginning at 6:30 p.m., we will experience his last night with his disciples, from witnessing his washing the feet of his disciples to sharing in the Last Supper, which will include a light meal with a Middle Eastern flair (hummus, bread, dates, figs, grapes, cheese, nuts).
Six storytellers will take us from the garden to the site of his “hearing,” his torture, the cross and death. We will sing sacred hymns, extinguish candles and end in Good Friday darkness. You’ll go home with materials for guided prayer and reflection on Friday, April 18.
To prepare for the meal, we need you to RSVP: complete this short online form or call the church office at 610-867-5865.
The Thursday service will also be shared on livestream on our Facebook page and website
(fpc-bethlehem.org).
If you join us on the livestream, we invite you to prepare a simple meal for yourself and your Communion elements (bread or bread-like item like cracker, pita or bagel, and grape juice, wine and water), and, if you can, have a candle available. We’ll share the guided prayer and reflection materials for Good Friday (noted above), and you may want to have on hand a nail, cross, and small amount of oil.
On Saturday, April 19, join us at 8 p.m. online for a recorded Compline Service. (This will be online only on Facebook and our website; there will not be an in-person gathering.) Bear witness to the sorrow felt by Mary, the disciples, and friends at the death of their beloved Jesus.
This will all culminate in our joyous Easter services on Sunday, April 20. What did the disciples feel then?!
Come and experience Holy Week. Put yourself in the scenes.
Blessings,
Pastor Karen