Special music by the Chancel Choir.

Prayers of the People by Allison Essinger.

Special music by Sheryl Clifton and Janice Sneller.

We are finally coming to the last week of Lent, Holy Week! During this week we will walk with Jesus as he has his last supper with the disciples on Maundy Thursday and endures a humiliating crucifixion on Good Friday. That final day could not possibly be considered “good” in its own time; only when we reflect upon it from the following Easter Sunday can we realize that it was actually “good.” It is only on Easter Sunday that we realize that Jesus’s acceptance of the path to crucifixion on Friday would ultimately lead to his resurrection and glorification on Sunday. The journey to death at Golgotha was only one stop on the road to eternal life – for us as well.

Our scripture for Easter Sunday describes how the women who had followed Jesus as disciples returned to the tomb in which he was laid. They had brought spices and ointments traditionally used for burial, but they found the tomb was empty and his body was gone! Instead, there were two men who appeared and asked them “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Of course, if they had known he was alive, they wouldn’t have traveled to the tomb that morning. But that’s the point – they didn’t know he is alive. Join us this week as we journey with Jesus on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday and reflect on discovering what it means to truly be alive.

Prayers of the people by Gail Roberts.

There are many times in our lives when we may have not been sure how we were going to make it through some challenge we were experiencing. Whether it was paying the bills when the bank account was low, finding transportation when our car broke down, completing a degree or training program, or finding peace and acceptance when a loved one passed away. But looking back on those times, we find that things somehow worked out for us so that we could go on to fulfill some special role that God had prepared for us. Somehow, God provided for us when we didn’t think it was possible with the resources we had on hand.

This week, we will reflect on how God provided for Jesus when he needed to make a grand entrance into Jerusalem. Jesus had no property – no home, no livestock, and no money, yet he was expected to make a specific kind of entrance into Jerusalem as prophesied by Zechariah. The prophet Zechariah foretold of a humble king who would one day enter the city on the back of a colt with great celebration. Jesus, trusting that God would provide, sent disciples into town to retrieve a colt for him, and all that he needed was made available as he had faithfully expected. Join us for Palm Sunday this weekend as we reflect on the blessings we have been given so that we might fulfill the wonderful plans God has in store for us.

Prayers of the People by Ed Roberts.

Love Divine (cantata by Joel Raney, presented by the Yuma First Chancel Choir)

Prayers of the People by Pastor Mike.

In this Sunday's reading, we hear a familiar story from the Gospel of John - Mary's anointing of Jesus' feet, and Judas' critical reaction to this act of extravagance. We sometimes read familiar passages of scripture and the behaviors in them through a lens of right or wrong, black and white, hero versus villain. But is that all we can take away from this story?

Mary celebrated the presence of Jesus in her life through bestowing him a great honor - one that no doubt came at great personal cost. She follows the example of many devout believers in doing so. Judas in turn lifted up the principle of sharing one's wealth with the poor; again, there is much precedent for charity throughout the history of our faith. What are we to do with the seeming tension presented in this passage?