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The Drama of the Original Palm Sunday
This Sunday we feature and celebrate Palm Sunday, the day Jesus ceremoniously rode into Jerusalem surrounded by crowds waving palm branches. It was the week before his crucifixion, and he was deliberately bringing attention to the beginning of a new spiritual era.
When you arrive at church this Sunday, you are invited to hold a palm branch or several (we have a lot!). During the service I have a little surprise to introduce as a way of picturing the story and engaging ourselves in its drama.
Last Sunday's Church Service
Last Sunday's service was a blessing! We had the most musicians helping in a long while, and they did a wonderful job. Welcome to Stacy, our newest member of the music team, playing the violin!
Also, the message and spiritual growth task about turning a blind eye seemed to resonate with a lot of people.
Once again, we had the privilege of serving several first-time visitors. Thank you to everyone for your participation and support.
Spiritual Growth Task Series and Small Groups
Last Sunday's talk concluded the current series on Spiritual Growth Tasks in our Card Deck of tasks. Of course, every Sunday is about some aspect of spiritual growth. But I will return to some of the tasks in the Card Deck in future series.
Our small groups are also winding down their concurrent series on Spiritual Growth Tasks. Thank you to our group leaders and everyone for participating. It's been a very worthwhile time of support and community building.
This Sunday — Palm Sunday
April 19 — Good Friday evening service at 7 pm
April 21 — Easter Sunday
7 am Early outdoor service
11 am Festival service
+ Egg Hunt
Noon Easter Luncheon COVERED DISH
April 28 — David Lindrooth, guest preacher
May 5 — Cinco de Mayo Neighborhood celebration here at Sunrise Chapel (see below)
Art Watson Invites You to Concerts by the Sons of Orpheus
The Sons of Orpheus is also known as the Male Choir of Tucson, of which Art is a member. They are presenting the 28th Spring Concert featuring an eclectic mix from Tchesnokov and Mascagni to Randall Thompson, as well as cowboy favorites and Broadway musical selections with talented guest performers.
Upcoming Concert dates
April 12 – The Highlands at Dove Mountain
April 13 – Vista de la Montana United Methodist Church
April 26 – Northminster Presbyterian Church
Cost of Tickets - $15.00 or by sponsorship
Contact Art at 520-343-9029 for tickets or see him after services
Can You Help with Promoting Building Rentals?
Sunrise Chapel is a wonderful place for meetings, groups, receptions, and special activities of many kinds. We really want to serve the community, and we can offer various spaces for less cost than most commercial places. Recently, one of our groups that has been using our Friendship Hall every Tuesday night for many years had to downsize and consolidate their classes at a different facility. This is a big
loss of income for Sunrise Chapel.
If you know any group or individual who is looking for a venue to hold classes, meetings, or special occasions, please refer them to Sunrise Chapel.
As an incentive, by Board approval, a referral fee will be offered to anyone for whom a referral turns into a booking! Talk to me or any Board member.
Please Consider Donating to Our General Fund
We are coming up on the end of our fiscal year, which is June 30. As of April 1, our treasurer, Bill, reports that we are in need of a little over $6,000 to meet our budgeted income. Some of that will come from our fundraisers, but if you can donate or pledge to increase your donation between now and June 30, please do! Sunrise Chapel needs your help. If we happen to exceed the goal (which would be a very happy event!), the money will simply be used in the general fund for the next
fiscal year, beginning July 1.
With love and respect,
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THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES AT SUNRISE CHAPEL
No Teen Talk Small Group today
PALM SUNDAY
10 am Music rehearsal
11 am Worship - Palm Sunday
12 noon LUNCHEON
MONDAY 4/15/2018
11 am Tai Chi class (Basic)
6:30 pm Bereavement Support Group
WEDNESDAY 4/17/2019
9:30 am Worship Team mtg
6:30 pm evening Spiritual Growth Group, led by Frank Rose
11 am Tai Chi (Yang 24)
NO Women's Group tonight - Contact Elise Gladish for details
GOOD FRIDAY
4:45 pm Teen Talk Small Group
7 pm GOOD FRIDAY CHURCH SERVICE
+ Holy Supper
SUNDAY 4/21/2019
EASTER SUNDAY
7 am Early Outdoor Worship Service EASTER SUNDAY
10 am Music rehearsal
11 am Family Festival Worship Service - EASTER SUNDAY
+ Egg Hunt
12 noon EASTER LUNCHEON EXTRAVAGANZA
Easter Flowers and
Dedications
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Would you like to dedicate a potted flowering plant to a loved one this Easter?
These plants will decorate our chancel for the Easter Festival Service on Sunday morning April 21st.
This year we are offering two options:
1. The traditional Easter Lily, which you can take home after the service
2. A flowering garden plant, that will be planted in our memorial garden
The donation is $15 per plant. The plants will be purchased by Élise Gladish. You can donate by check (made out to Sunrise Chapel) or cash. Please give your donation and the name(s) and dedication message to Élise. The dedications will be featured in our Easter Sunday bulletin.
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Good Friday Evening
Service Friday April 19 @ 7 pm
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Come to Sunrise Chapel next Friday, April 19 for a meditative worship service featuring the story of Good Friday
Each year, the chancel is decorated in a special way for this candlelight service. We hear some readings from the Gospel story and break bread to remember the Last Supper. It is a delightful, centering activity to consider the sacrifice that Jesus made in order to prepare us for Easter
Sunday.
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Sunrise Chapel Hosts a Cinco de Mayo Neighborhood Celebration
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Help us welcome our neighbors to a very special event at Sunrise Chapel!
Sunday, May 5 starting at noon12 Noon – Catered Mexican Luncheon
1 pm – Live Mariachi Alma Mexicana Quartet
2 pm Live Ballet Folklorico Children's Dance Group
PLUS
Local Artisans * Crafts * Services
Piñata * Raffles * Silent Auction Items
This will be a community-oriented FUN-raiser as well as a fundraiser.
Excellent Mexican food will be catered by the same chef who provided for our Chapel's 30th Anniversary Celebration in 2017.
The professional mariachi band is awesome.
There will be lots going on.
It'll be well worth your donation and your time!
Tickets are $20/adult $10/child Kids under 7 FREE
We need volunteers. Please talk with Gail Benton and Claudia Osmus for ways to get involved.
Thank you to Gail Benton for helping us help others while we also make progress on our church's financial challenges!
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Readings for this
Sunday's Church Service
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An Ancient Festival Using Palm Branches
Leviticus 23 (parts)
Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed festivals of the Lord…
“‘After you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate to the Lord for seven days… On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, from intertwined trees, and from willows—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days... This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in temporary shelters for seven days..., so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when
I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”
Secrets of Heaven §9296
Swedenborg
“Branches from luxuriant trees” which the Israelites were to take on the first day of the festival meant festivity and joy..., which is why the words “you shall rejoice before the Lord” follow. Fronds of palm trees symbolize an inner discernment of truth. The boughs of intertwined trees symbolize a more outward discernment of truth, such as known facts. Willow branches of the brook symbolize a still more superficial discernment of truth which come from impressions received by the five
senses.
The rejoicing at that time symbolizes the joy that is felt by people who feel led by the goodness of the Lord, like those who are in heaven. For anyone who is led by the good of charity received from the Lord is in heaven with the Lord. These are the reasons why this feast was established.
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
John 12:12-19
The great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”
At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
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Your church home for partnering with the Lord and each other in the practice of cultivating spiritual growth and choosing heavenly joy www.sunrisechapel.org nathan@sunrisechapel.org Office 520-298-1245 |
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