Palm Sunday

Hosanna!

Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

We had a lovely Palm Sunday service this morning despite the weather.  The temps were just above freezing, but the wind off Lake Michigan can go right through you even on a balmy Sunday morning, and it's always several degrees colder right on the Lake than it is elsewhere in town.  So we began the service with the Blessing of the Palms indoors in one part of the building, then processed out, down the sidewalk outside the building, through the chapel doors and into our sanctuary, palm branches waving, and it wasn't too bad.

I had been in charge of arranging and rehearsing our reader's theater version of the Passion reading, and it went very well.  Nice to have it over with, though!

We had a great sermon, beautiful music--including a gorgeous Latin piece with lovely harmonies--and a few repeat visitors, which was very encouraging.  Afterward, a group of us rehearsed the Red Sea reading for Easter Vigil, the most ambitious staging I'm attempting, and we all got an idea of what we're doing and we figured out what we need to do to the Red Sea so it doesn't sag so much at our next rehearsal.  I'm so grateful for a handy friend who's taking on that project.

And I remembered to take measurements, while I was in our rented space, for the simple banners I am creating this week for the seven days of creation.  Last week, I visited friends who do lots of costuming--one is Abbi, from our church--and they have a walk-in closet full of bolts of upholstery fabric, linens, satins and amazing patterns that they had obtained for next to nothing, as a bulk lot from a thrift store.  I was able to take bolts of really cool fabrics that will work for five out of the seven banners, plus the Red Sea fabric, before I even had the needed measurements.  Now I just need to buy material for the other two banners and finish the project before our rehearsal on Good Friday...

...along with a dozen other items on my Easter Vigil to-do list.  It's going to be another busy week!