This Sunday will mark the last Sunday in Lent this year. Sunday, April 13 is Palm Sunday.

And this year, as we have for the past three years, I am asking you to bring branches of local greenery or trees with you to process into the church with.

We did not order palm branches this year. They are expensive to order and they don't grow naturally here. So once more we are invited to consider what it feels like and means for us to welcome Jesus here, on this land.

Here is what one source says about this:

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “In places where palms cannot be found, branches of olive, box elder, spruce or other trees are used and the ‘Cæremoniale episcoporum’ II, xxi, 2 suggests that in such cases at least little flowers or crosses made of palm be attached to the olive boughs. In Rome olive branches are distributed to the people, while the clergy carry palms frequently dried and twisted into various shapes. In parts of Bavaria large swamp willows, with their catkins, and ornamented with flowers and ribbons, were used.”

Pussy willows are a common tradition in many countries, and in some places it is even called “Pussy Willow Sunday.”

Biblical scholars often translate the branches people used for Jesus’ triumphal entry in generic terms, such as in the Gospel of Matthew, “The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road” (Matthew 21:8).

In essence, when palm branches are not available, it is perfectly acceptable to find any type of suitable branch to help commemorate Palm Sunday.

So, I look forward to seeing what you bring.

In gratitude for our ministry together.

Marnie

Readings for next Sunday include:

ISAIAH 43:16-21; PSALM 126; PHILIPPIANS 3:4B-14; JOHN 12:1-8

You can find the link here

Join us for this sung evening prayer service on Wednesday evenings in Lent. 

Or stream the service on Our Saviour's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@oursaviourlutheranchurch-r6416/streams

The Practicing the Way Course features eight sessions of teaching, guided conversation, and spiritual exercises designed to lay a foundation for our faith practice. 

We will meet in person on Wednesdays at 11:00am and online on Thursdays at 7:00pm

Here is the Zoom link:

St. Anne's Steveston is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Practicing the Way
Time: Feb 13, 2025 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
        Every week on Thu, until Apr 3, 2025, 8 occurrence(s)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Weekly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZwkfuGtpjItHdZb-ZPKeROrKmfvz46KzMwQ/ics?icsToken=DFdRqyzrunOtwAW30wAALAAAACaZ_OWebEm5GKsL9U4NNjmzln-9856LZzWcOudKsi5zph2wzLPuPVc9HPSwHZFXXEFyeHwWwfV-hGSLLzAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=w9NcDXf5Tl2PLdwqsd43Xw
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88998589772

Meeting ID: 889 9858 9772

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Meeting ID: 889 9858 9772

Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbbYtOC4Ay

We are looking for people to join the team of people who lead our prayers at the 10am worship service.

If this is something you think you would like to do, please speak with Marnie to learn more.

Growing up near the troubled city of Belfast, Gareth Higgins was schooled in suspicion, mistrust, and
paranoia. Years after the Troubles ended, he wrote How Not to Be Afraid, identifying how fear feeds on
stories of scarcity, negativity and othering. In the book, Gareth delves into the mechanisms of fear, as
well as the quiet, immense strength of individuals and communities to resist these mechanisms.
Grounded in personal experience and expertise on violence, conflict transformation and trauma
recovery, Higgins points to vulnerability as a strength to address seven common fears that plague each
of us at some point in our lives. By examining fears of isolation, scarcity, violence and death, he invites
us into habits of hope rooted in Celtic spirituality and the mysteries of love.

This event is co-hosted by the Vancouver School of Theology and supported by SSHRC. Registering by the
early bird date of March 20 will give access to a lower registration fee.

Register here or contact Michelle LeBaron at lebaron@allard.ubc.ca if you have any questions.
Gareth Higgins (Ph.D)
Peacemaker, Writer and Story Activist at the Intersections of Spirituality, Justice and Art

Click here for more information