April 4, 2007
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Easter is considered the holiest day of the Christian liturgical year. Rightly so, for as St. Paul proclaims, "If Christ is not risen, then our faith is in vain." The Resurrection is the central doctrine and the core of our faith. We will celebrate this feast with great joy and solemnity.
THEME FOR EASTER DAY
The readings and prayers focus on God's great power and love manifested in the rising of Jesus from the dead. In the Collect we pray: "Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord's resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen."
In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter gives a summary of the Christian faith: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ - he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead."
Psalm 118 is a song of joy and victory: "The right hand of the LORD has triumphed! the right hand of the LORD is exalted! the right hand of the LORD has triumphed! I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD ... The same stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the LORD'S doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. On this day the LORD has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
The epistle to the Colossians describes the new life of those who are ;joined to Christ: "If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory."
The Gospel from Luke is the wonderful story of the women going to the tomb on the first Easter Day: "On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women who had come with Jesus from Galilee came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.'"
We join our Alleluias to the chorus of praise that echoes down the centuries. This indeed is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad!
Sincerely,
David A. Killian
Rector
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Worship Services for the Easter Vigil and Easter Day, April 7-8, 2007
Saturday, April 7, at 7:00 pm: Preacher and Celebrant: Bishop Roy Cederholm
Sunday, April 8, at 9:00 am: Preacher: The Rev. David A. Killian
Sunday, April 8, at 11:00 am: Preacher: The Rev. David A. Killian
Sunday, April 8, at 6:00 pm: Preacher: The Rev. Leslie K. Sterling
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Holy Week and Easter Schedule
For the schedule of worship services for Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter, please click here.
Not Your Father's St. Patrick's Day ... rescheduled for Friday, April 27 at 8:00 pm. Please join us for the special St. Patrick's event (postponed from March 16 because of inclement weather) with Kevin O'Hara and Aine Minogue. Please click here for more information.
For the Collect of the Day, Scripture Readings, and Psalm, click here.
The Music note is not available for Easter Sunday but will be back the following week.
For a Story from this Sunday's Gospel by Becky Taylor, Director of Children's Youth, and Family Ministry, click here.
For a note on the Sunday 6:00 pm 'Episcopal Evening' service from Assistant Rector, the Rev. Leslie K. Sterling, click here.
To browse past issues of the All Saints Weekly, click here.
For "All Saints Smiles" and news about events, activities, programs, ministries and the staff of our parish, please click on the All Saints website: www.allsaintsbrookline.org.
Many thanks to June Santosa, design, Mary Downes, distribution, and the contributors above who produce the All Saints Weekly each week.
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