Sunday Morning Worship, the Crazy Family Edition

Dear Faith Des Peres Community,

This Sunday we continue our Lenten journey by hearing the very familiar and much loved parable of the prodigal son.  You know the one.  It's about the good-for-nothing younger brother who ran off and squandered his father's inheritance, went broke, returned home and when he did his father welcomed him with open arms and threw him a huge party!  

Yeah, that one.

The parable all of us older siblings (in the symbolic sense of the word) hate.

Whatever happened to a little filial contrition?  Or a little finger-wagging and head shaking on the part of dear old Dad? Where's the fatherly scolding?  The stern look?  The "I told you so"? 

Are we really supposed to welcome some good-for-nothing person back into our lives with open arms and a party?  Well, yes we are. At least according to Jesus we are.  

During the Sundays in Lent I've give you a spiritual exercise to work on during the week.  This week's exercise is a difficult one: It is about giving up the idea that we can love God and despise each other. We simply cannot, no matter how wrong any of us has been. The only way to work out our relationship with God is to work out our relationship with each other.

If that sounds like a tall order that you need some help with, I encourage you to come on Sunday to worship.  Because you aren't the only one who finds this spiritual exercise difficult.  

I hope to see you at church.  Don't forget to set your clocks forward one hour!

And . . .mark your calendars . . .

• March 17 the choir will present a Lent "lessons and carols" type service;
• March 24 is Palm Sunday-my favorite Sunday of the year and the most important Sunday-don't miss it! We'll celebrate the baptism of Harrison Benben and enjoy special music by a guest trombonist.
• And of course, Easter Sunday on March 31 with trumpet, flowers, and the joy of the resurrection promise.  

See you in church,

Pastor Annie