You are Standing at the Edge of the Woods

You are standing at the edge of the woods

at twilight

when something begins

to sing, like a waterfall

pouring down

through the leaves. It is

the thrush.

And you are just

sinking down into your thoughts,

taking in

the sweetness of it—those chords,

those pursed twirls—when you hear

out of the same twilight

the wildest red outcry. It pitches itself

forward, it flails and scabs

all the surrounding space with such authority

you can’t tell

whether it is crying out on the

scarp of victory, with its hooked foot

dabbed into some creature that now

with snapped spine

lies on the earth—or whether

it is such a struck body itself, saying,

goodbye.

Soon, we will be standing at the edge of Holy Week. Holy Week begins with Palm/Passion at 10:00 am on Sunday, March 24. We will experience the waving of the palms, standing with our fellow disciples, we will hear the sweet sounds of welcome and jubilation as Jesus enters. Then just as we are comfortable with the sounds, we will sense the mood change. Thursday at 7:00pm, come and join in a Maundy Thursday service. As we enter the Sanctuary, we will have an opportunity to share hand washing, continuing with a service of light, communion and shadows, closing with the sense of a creature of God in distress. On Friday, from 12:00-1:00 pm in the Sanctuary, we offer a time of readings, with organ interludes. This is the time we are left with a goodbye.

Following Holy Saturday, we are blessed with Easter Sunday on March 31! We have two opportunities to join in celebration. A shorter Early Easter Service begins at 7:30 am in the Chapel, followed by a continental breakfast. At 10:00, we will, together as community, celebrate Jesus resurrection by filling an empty cross with the promise of beauty and new life!

~ Eldonna Hazen