Holy Tuesday and Hoops

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, March 18 is our DAY OF PRAYER FOR SAN ANDRES.

MAUNDY THURSDAY, March 20, 7:00,

The Reckless Abandon Players present:
THE LIVING LAST SUPPER

Adrian A. writes: The Reckless Abandon Players made their annual Palm Sunday drive to Defiance, IA, where they performed The Living Last Supper at the Defiance United Methodist Church. The performance went flawlessly, and the membership truly appreciated performace. Afterwards, they offered a fellowship pot-luck meal, and it was great to share in the company of friends and wonderful food. This is the 4th year that the drama team has performed on Palm Sunday in Defiance. They collected a free-will offering that was given to the drama team and in partnership with the Defiance congregation, we have decided to sponsor a student in Nicaragua through Rainbow Networks for one year of high school. A special thanks to Dan T. for Directing the performance, all the actors, costume designers, and technical team for sharing of their talents and time. We hope to see you Maundy Thursday.

Likewise, GREG T. tells us: I was returning from Defiance, Iowa on Palm Sunday along with the other members of the Reckless Abandon Players (drama team). We had just completed the Living Last Supper performance at their small United Methodist Church. The church had maybe 40 people in attendance at the performance but what a great audience! They fed our entire cast a potluck supper and we all truly enjoyed the Christian fellowship following the performance. This was our fourth annual trip to Defiance which has served as a dress rehearsal for our St Andrews Easter performance. I remembered the conversation that I had with Pastor Keith who served as lead and only pastor at Defiance and two other small churches. He like the others at his church was so grateful for our group taking the time and effort to perform at their church. He told me that I only wish we could have a bigger audience for you today.

Reflecting on his words on the way home made me think about how fortunate that we are at St Andrews to have so many great worship opportunities and on this day of prayer for San Andres how fortunate we are to have so many privileges in the wonderful country of ours. I know a lot of members of St Andrews have not attended a Maundy Thursday worship service and maybe have not had a chance to see the drama team in a serious performance. I would just ask that they consider attending this Thursday’s performance of the Living Last Supper. It is an incredibly emotional performance that portrays the thoughts of each disciple as they hear the news that Jesus is going to be betrayed. Please consider starting a new family tradition this week by including the Maundy Thursday performance of the Living Last Supper as part of your Holy week celebration. I believe that if you attend the service you will be as blessed as those who will have the opportunity to perform it. Thank you.

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GOOD FRIDAY OBSERVANCE, Noon, featuring readings from the Gospel of Matthew, with appropriate hymns and prayers.

ST. ANDREW’S EASTER EGG HUNT, Saturday, 10:00 am.

Please bring 12 filled plastic eggs to share in the hunt.

EASTER SUNDAY, March 23

8:00, 9:15 & 10:45

Bruce & Nancy: JESUS ROSE

From BOB DAVIS: The youth grades 6^th -12^th grade will not have Sunday school this Easter Sunday so they may enjoy sitting with their families. Confirmation class will not meet this Easter Sunday. There will also be no youth group activities this Sunday.

March 29 & 30

NEW WORSHIP SCHEDULE LAUNCH

5:00 Saturday

8:30 & 10:00 Sunday

Bruce preaching: ATONEMENT: Why Jesus Jumped Into The Volcano

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This is going to be a great week of basketball in Nebraska, starting with the NIT games in Lincoln and Omaha tonight, and the tournament games at the Qwest Center over the weekend. Maybe the best basketball game I ever saw was a second round NCAA game at the Devaney Center in 1980, as the University of Missouri Tigers beat Notre Dame in overtime. If I’m remembering correctly, it was a St. Patrick’s Day, which made it even sweeter for the Missouri Protestant. I’m excited with the state of the game in Nebraska, right now. Creighton looks to be loaded for next season and I’m very impressed with what Doc Sadler is doing with the Cornhuskers. I might add that I’ll be rooting for North Carolina in the Big Dance. I saw Tyler Hansbrough play in high school and have enjoyed following his career. Allow me a moment of bitterness, if you will. If the pretty-boy who followed Norm Stewart at Missouri hadn’t messed up the program beyond recognition, Hansbrough and the Rush kid starring at KU (whose older brother played for Mizzou) might well be wearing Tiger uniforms this season. But the pretty-boy did mess up the program and once any organization starts downhill, it’s might hard to turn it back around--which makes me all the more appreciative of what Sadler is doing in Lincoln.

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I suppose Barak Obama can look on the bright side: No one is talking about him being Muslim anymore. Starting with Mitt Romney’s Mormonism, it’s been remarkable how religious affiliation has influenced this presidential campaign. My advice to any aspiring politicians among our readership: Join the United Methodist Church! (George W. Bush and Hillary Clinton may have little else in common, but both are United Methodists.) UMs try hard (maybe too hard) not to offend anybody—though we still manage it, somehow.

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Prayers of Celebration

Birth of Brooke Erin F., daughter of Chris & Lisa F.

Prayers of Healing

Anne J., who is beginning treatment for cancer, sister of John W. (Anne is a former St. Andrew’s member). Immanuel Hospital. .

Hannah H. (2 yrs old), who is undergoing treatment for brain cancer, (family friends of Steve & Emily M.).

Ardyth B. (Sue S.’s Aunt) recovering from back surgery.

Joanne (friend of Carrie T.) critical condition with pneumonia.

Steve J. (friend of Beck L.) surgery for cancer.

Madison D., age 5 (great-grand daughter of Orv & Darlene S.) having tests.

Dale F. (cousin of Diane B.) health issues from double lung transplant.

Ginnie (friend of Sheila C.) test.

Mark R., scheduled for rotator cuff surgery this morning.

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John 15:12-15, words of Jesus:
”I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

Note from Bruce: It’s very revealing that in the last week of his life, Jesus deliberately seems to prepare the disciples for a dynamic understanding of the life of the church. Jesus does NOT say: You know everything there is to know; rather he promises what I think of as progressive revelation: the Spirit moving among the people of God, revealing Christ’s purpose according to the needs of succeeding generations. Pretty cool, don’t you think!

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BRD