Holy Week

Traditionally the week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday has been called Holy Week.

  • I don’t like that term.
  • I know why some churches use that term… this is a particularly special week in the fulfilment of prophecies of the Messiah.
    The gospels have been leading up to this week.
    There is so much that happens.
  • In another sense, this week is no more holy than any other week.
    Because all time belongs to God.

This week is often a time for families to be together, to celebrate the resurrection.

This year everything is different.

  • No Palm Sunday – Kids standing shoulder to shoulder waving palms on Palm Sunday? That could get you arrested.
  • No Maundy Thursday – Eating together, foot washing? Are you kidding?
  • No community Good Friday service – sharing communion together with 400 other people – No way!
  • No Easter Sunday celebration – it’s not going to happen.

It feels like Psalm 137 Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem

I know you thought of this song…


So what are we going to do this year? It’s not all planned out in detail yet, but here are the basics.
Everything will be posted here at OCCWeb.org.

  • Palm Sunday – we will post a short message, some kids worship songs, some prayer direction and some direction for reflection.
  • Daily – there will be a scripture reading (longer than the verse or two that we have been posting)
  • Daily – a guided reflection on the passage
  • Several times – some OCCKids & OCCYouth activities
  • Maundy Thursday – an activity, as well as a way to share in communion – we may do this as a community using zoom.
  • Good Friday – a guided reflection on the meaning of the cross
  • Easter Sunday – a hat lady story, celebration songs, and a short message

 

 

Praying: Politicians

Our political leaders need our prayers

  • Our Prime Minister – Justin Trudeau & MPs
  • Our Premier – Doug Ford & MPPs
  • Our Mayor – Steve Clarke & Council

They are making decisions in an unprecedented situation

  • Pray for wisdom
  • Pray that they would lean on the advice of health care professionals
  • Pray for their health (physical, emotional and spiritual) and that of their families
  • Pray that they would not just make short-term decisions.

 

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Psalm 62:5-8

God, the one and only—
I’ll wait as long as he says.
Everything I hope for comes from him,
so why not?
He’s solid rock under my feet,
breathing room for my soul,
An impregnable castle:
I’m set for life.

My help and glory are in God
—granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—
So trust him absolutely, people;
lay your lives on the line for him.
God is a safe place to be.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always,
pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Sunday, March 29

Welcome to OCC online.

We invite you into listening to our God as you pray, as you enter into worship, as you read the Scripture. Listen and respond to him.

Thanking God

  • Begin by thanking God for his presence with us, even when we don’t feel like he is close.
  • Decide to express your praise and thanks to our Lord.

Worship songs

Praying for others

  • those at OCC & in our family and friendship circles with health needs
  • those at OCC & in our family and friendship circles with anxiety, depression and other mental health struggles
  • for all of those who are working in the health care field
  • for those who are still working retail, so the rest of us can get the supplies we need
  • for those who are learning to work from home, especially those who are learning to homeschool at the same time
  • for children whose lives are being changed

The Normal Christian Life… a way of living

How do you understand the connection or the relationship between what we believe and how we live?

Some of the areas that the NT addresses include

  • Putting off the old: Ephesians 4:22-24 MSG
  • Putting on new ways of living: Galatians 5:22-23 MSG
  • Living in right relationships: within our families, within the community of faith, & with our neighbours & with the authorities: Ephesians 5:21, 22, 25, 6:1, Romans 12:9-10, Colossians 4:5-6, Peter 2:13-14
  • Being watchful: 1 Peter 5:8

In these days are we…

  • listening to the voices of others more than God?
  • listening more to Facebook memes than God?
  • aware of what’s going on in our lives & in the lives of people around us?
  • listening for the nudge of God’s Spirit?

Who are the people around you who need reaching out to you in this season? Are you connecting with them? Making some phone calls?

  • family
  • neighbours
  • friends

Who are the people the Holy Spirit is nudging you… “give them a call… see if they need anything… find out how they are doing… do they need some encouragement, someone to talk to.

All of this is part of the normal way of life for followers of Jesus, all of the time, but especially in a time that is anything but normal.

Reflection

Let me suggest 2 things:

  1. Ask the question posted above… and then give someone or 2 or 3 a call.
  2. Join us 29 March @ 6:30pm for a zoom room prayer time.
  3. If you didn’t read the recommended passages last week, let me encourage to read (or re-read) some of Jesus’ teaching on how to live in the way of God: the sermon on the mount – Matthew 5-7, and the last supper discourse – John 14-16. There is so much there in describing how we are to live.

Offering

Expenses at OCC continue. The Leadership Team at OCC wants to thank you for your faithfulness in giving to the ministry of OCC.
There are several ways you can give during this time:

  • You can drop your offering off at the OCC building, either when there is someone in the building or through the mail slot (in the front glass panel, nearest to the driveway).
  • You can mail your offering to
    OCC
    64 Colborne St E
    Orillia, ON, L3V 1T6
  • You can give by e-transfer. Use the following email address when using e-transfer for your offering: finance@occweb.org.
  • You can give via PayPal. The easiest way to go to https://occweb.org/online-giving/ and click on the donate button.

Benediction

A Contemporary Confession by John C. Birch

God of healing, God of wholeness,
we bring our brokenness, our sinfulness, our fears and despair,
and lay them at your feet.

God of healing, God of wholeness,
we hold out hearts and hands, minds and souls,
to feel your touch, and know the peace
that only you can bring.

God of healing, God of wholeness,
this precious moment in your presence and power,
grant us faith and confidence that here broken lives
are made whole.

Worship Songs – March 29

Here are the worship songs for March 29. These songs remind us of God’s faithfulness.

Andrew Peterson – Is He Worthy?

Vertical Worship – Faithful Now

Raise a Hallelujah – Bethel Music

one sonic society ft. Mike Weaver – Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Beginning To End)

OCCKids – March 29

This week’s OCCKids @ home lesson

Hopefully you are finally getting into a routine at home with your kids now that we have done a couple of weeks of physical distancing. I am really praying for some warmer weather to finish melting the last of the snow so that we can enjoy our whole backyard.
My kids did a couple of FaceTime conversations this week with some of our family and their friends which really helped, especially for Nathan. I would encourage you, if that is an option for you and your family, to take advantage of our technology so that they still have that social interaction with their friends (Google Duo is another option).
This week the topic is God’s forgiveness and I am praying you will have some great conversations at home with your children.

Here is the material for OCCKids: God Forgives – March 29