Dear Friends,

The Christian faith began with Easter. The Christian faith continues because of Easter. The church is the place where covenanted people live, work and hope in the power of the risen Christ. Our's is an Easter faith, a faith based upon God's continuing presence in and through a people who have a love for God's presence and peace and a people who will never give up on God's renewing power.

During Lent I have based many of my reflections and meditations on a prayer book produced by the Lindisfarne Community. The book has been the basis of our Office of Evening Prayer services on Wednesday nights. It has been a source of inspiration for me personally in my own prayer and devotional life. It is a book entitled Celtic Daily Prayer.
In many Christian traditions a prayerful vigil is kept on Easter Eve. Liturgies have been produced for that vigil and they have a certain solemnity, power and sense of anticipation not found in other Christian seasons and services. In the book mentioned there is a service for Easter Eve, a rather long service. I won't, obviously, reprint the whole Easter Eve Vigil Service, but I will cite the opening of the service which is celebrated in ancient Celtic tradition under the odd title, "Piercing the Candle." The one celebrating the service hammers small nails into the side of a large white candle--four nails into the shape of a cross. Later the candle is lit symbolizing the light of God's power over evil and death in Christ's Resurrection.

This ancient practice begins with the following affirmation of our Easter faith.

Christ behind us in all our yesterdays.
Christ with us in our today.
Christ before us in all our tomorrows,
Alpha and Omega, Christ, Lord of all!"

The response is, "By the wounds and the blood of the Lamb, may God guard and keep us. Amen."

I hope to see you at one of our services on Easter Day, of course, so that we may greet one another in the traditional Easter exchange, "He is risen! He is risen, indeed!" When we truly celebrate Easter we do so with the realization that as church people we are God's means of continuing the power of the Resurrection. We are, by faith and worship, to be the means of God's power of renewal and hope to a weary world sorely in need of that power. We are God's Resurrection Community serving the one who overcame all the powers of death in order to be the agent of God's peace and hope through us.

I extend to you my sincere wishes for a glorious Easter. May we all experience its power of renewal and hope. May we live in the promises of life and peace. May Christ be before us in all our tomorrows. May God guard and keep us. Amen.

Love,

© The Church of the Pilgrimage in Plymouth, MA Inc., all rights reserved.

Ecumenical Sunrise Service on Cole's Hill, 6:00 A.M. (Across from Plymouth Rock)

Morning Worship 9:00 AM and 11:00 A.M. Rev. Gary L. Marks preaching.

Greeters for the 9:00 A.M. Service are Judi and Warren Besegai

Greeters for the11:00 A.M. Service are Dorothy and Everett Lanman.

The Easter Lilies are given in memory of loved ones and are listed on a separate sheet, extras can be found on the table in the upper vestibule.

The Junior Choir is singing at both services on Easter Sunday. They should be at church at 8:30 A.M. and will be sitting with the Senior Choir. They can leave after they sing the anthem in the second service, if necessary.

Children 3rd grade and under will be dismissed to attend a Craft and Story Hour in Allerton Hall following a Time for Teaching. Older children are to remain in worship.

There will be no coffee hour today.

Office Hours: The Office will be closed on Monday, April 21 for Patriot's Day and Friday, April 25 in lieu of Good Friday. Office hours for Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April 23 are 9:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M. and Thursday April 24 from 9:00 A.M. -3:00 P.M.

CHURCH RECORD

Hospitalized: Marion Whiting, Cape Cod Rehabilitation Center, Sandwich.

Recuperating at home: following hospitalization, Katherine Delano.

In Memoriam:
On April 9, 2003 Rev. Marks conducted a funeral service for Charles Ketchen at The First Baptist Church in Plymouth.
On April 14, 2003 Rev. Marks participated in a funeral service for the Rev. Ronald Werner, pastor of The First Baptist Church, at that church.
On April 15, 2003 Rev. Marks conducted a funeral service for Marion Walker in the church sanctuary. Our sympathies are extended to her husband Mahlon.

THIS WEEK

Sunday, Apr. 20-- Easter Sunday, Ecumenical Sunrise Service-6:00 A.M. on Cole's Hill; Rev. Gary L Marks will be preaching at the 9:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. Services.

Monday, Apr. 21-EASTER MONDAY AND PATRIOT'S DAY-OFFICE CLOSED. Watch for Rev. Dan in the Boston Marathon. Aerobics 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.

Tuesday, Apr. 22--Rev. Dan out of the office-Recovery; Aerobics-6:45-7:45 P.M..

Wednesday, Apr. 23--Rev. Dan's office hours 10:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M.; Aerobics - 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M. Allerton Hall; Evening Prayer Service - 7:00 P.M. in the Sanctuary; Choir Rehearsal - 7:30 P.M.

Thursday, Apr. 24--Rev. Dan's office hours 10:00 A.M.-3:00P.M.; Olan Mills Photographs-3:00 P.M.-9:30 P.M.,Church House; Aerobics-6:45 P.M.-7:45 P.M.

Friday, Apr. 25--Office Closed. Aerobics-9:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M.; Wedding Rehearsal-6:30 P.M. in the Sanctuary.

Saturday, Apr. 26--Overeaters Anonymous- 9:45-11:30 A.M.-Church House; Wedding-4:00 P.M. in the Sanctuary.

PLEASE NOTE

Rev. Marks will be in Ohio from Easter Monday, April 21st until April 25th to visit his mother.

The Pulpit Flowers on April 13, 2003 were in loving memory of Miss. Jeanette Holmes and Curtis & Aurissa Holmes, given by Betsy Randall and family.

Please call the church office or let the ministers know if you or someone you know is presently or soon to be hospitalized or in need of pastoral care. It is especially important to inform the ministers of those hospitalized in out-of-town hospitals. Please call, too, if you are aware of any situations for which pastoral attention would be helpful.

Membership Classes-Rev. Marks is now compiling a list of those who have indicated an interest in becoming members of the church. If you are among those who would like to become church members, please let Rev. Marks know and/or call the church office as soon as possible. Rev. Marks is contacting perspective members to arrange a convenient time for a series of three classes. They will likely be held on Sundays immediately following worship. If you have previously spoken to Rev. Marks about membership, please remind him, or phone the office at (508) 746-3026.

We thank all who have provided Memorial Lilies for our Easter Services. They make a spectacular testimony to the Lord's Resurrection. We thank especially the dedication of our Flower Committee for taking our orders, gathering information, arranging the plants and overseeing their distribution. It is a big job and we appreciate their work!

We thank the Advisory Board for providing a beautiful church community experience in its organization of the Palm Sunday Communion Breakfast. More than 100 attended. The room was beautifully and sensitively decorated for the gathering. We thank Peter McLeod and his crew for a marvelous breakfast. It was an altogether wonderful Palm Sunday experience!
This week is school vacation week and the office will be closed on Monday, Patriot's Day and Friday, April 25th. I plan to be in the office on Tuesday and Wednesday until 9:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M. and Thursday until 9:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M.
Thank you, Pam McNicholas

The Annual Time & Talent Auction & Dinner is Friday evening, May 30, 2003.If you have any questions, particularly if you are new to the congregation please feel free to call me at (508) 746-4514. Diana Budge.

Evening Bible Study-The next Evening Bible Study with Rev. Dan will be April 28th in the Mayflower Room at 7:00 P.M. The scripture passages we will discuss include John 20:19-31 and Luke 24:36-48. Hope to see you there!

Olan Mills -The final photo session will be April 24th from 3:00 to 9:20 P.M. There are still many time slots available. If you have not signed up yet or need to reschedule please call the office. Please submit any photographs you have of college students who cannot make it home for pictures and photos of any church event you have, etc. to The Membership and Evangelism Committee as soon as possible. Thank you.

A NEW HYMNAL! The Advisory Board has accepted the recommendation of the Music Committee that Hymns of Truth and Light be our new hymnal. Hymns of Truth and Light was put together by a church that knows and respects our Pilgrim Hymnal, and it contains many of our favorites. The editors also provide us the choice of binding in as many as 32 additional pages of hymns of our own choosing, or such material as the Covenant or Greeting. In Allerton Hall we will post the Index of First Lines; the hymnal itself will be available for viewing in the Music Committee mailbox in Allerton Hall. Please contribute. Bill Harting

Pilgrimage Women's Fellowship-Monday evening May 5, 2003 at 6:30 P.M. is the "Mother/Daughter Dinner". This is open to the women of the church-your mom, daughter, sister, niece, or friend. The program is a Mary Kay makeover for two. Sign up in Allerton Hall on Sunday, April 27th or call Diane Cowie (508) 759-4499 or the church office by April 30th. Join us for a fun evening of fellowship.

Annual Meeting--the date for the Annual Meeting has been set for May 18, 2003 following service. All Boards and Committees must have their Annual Report to the church office by Friday, May 2, 2003. If you have e-mail please forward your report to the office in a word document, so that I may format it for the report. If you cannot e-mail your report to me please get it to me as soon as possible, so that it can be typed into the same format. I would like the Annual Report done in the same format this year. Thank you! Pam

Thanks to Plymouth Town Meeting, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Plymouth has acquired land in Plymouth for building an affordable home for a low-income family. If you would like to support us, we have two fundraisers coming up: A Hike for Habitat in the Blue Hills on Saturday, May 17, and a golf tournament at Lakeville Country Club on May 19. For further information on these and other events, or if you would like to be a volunteer, please call Nancy Morse, 508-746-5213, or visit our website at www.hfhplymouth.org. Thank you.
Please Remember the First Baptist Church in your prayers as the church grieves the tragic death of its pastor, The Rev. Ronald Werner. Please remember, too, Pastor Werner's wife Judy and their daughters in your prayers.

Summer Sale Reminder - Please keep the Summer Sale in mind when doing your spring cleaning! Watch for more information concerning the Summer Sale in up-coming Heralds.
Plant Sale June 7 2003 (Rain Or Shine). This is a church wide fund raising project. If you have not already done so please look around your yard for to pot for sale. Mark your calendars to come to Courtyard Place, 124 Long Pond Road on the morning of June 7, from 9:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M. You might just find the plant you really want. Call Pat Mudgett if you have any questions or want to help. (508) 224-7206.

Additional Lilies: in Memory of Duncan & Catherine MacLeod and Jack and Decia Fabri given by Robert Fabri.

Coming Events

Apr. 27: Morning Worship 10:00 A.M., Rev. Dan Spacek preaching. The Nominating Committee will meet in the Pastor's Study following morning worship.

Apr. 29: Advisory Board meeting, 7:00 P.M. in the Mayflower Room.

May 1: National Day of Prayer Service at Plymouth Rock, Noon.

May 3: South East Area-"Meet at the Comma" at the Hanover U.C.C., 8:00 A.M.-5:30 P.M.

Eagle Scout Ceremony in the sanctuary for Anthony Vanozzi.

May 5: Mother-Daughter Dinner. (See notes).

Clerk - Lois Post; Moderator - Steven Triffletti; Treasurer - David Kegel; Collector - Thomas Mudgett; Asst. Collector - Debbie Chaskes; Music Director - William B Richter; Secretary - Pam McNicholas; Sexton - Tony Nightingale; World Mission Emphasis - Heifer Project International; Church Building Telephone - (508) 747-1341.