On my way from the office to the Parlour this week, I happened to meet a man with a tuba near the sanctuary door. This occurrence should tell you something about how wonderful it is to work in a church. One never knows what you might encounter next—either musically or visually in terms of sunlight and stained glass. The tuba player is a member of the Summit Hill Brass and they were gathering with Aaron David Miller to rehearse for Sunday’s concert. We heard bits and pieces of the program through the morning and I am looking forward to hearing it in its entirety and in the same room. Please come and bring a friend. From what I heard there will be good variety and surprise.
There are many ways we share community at House of Hope. While music is certainly one of them, events like the Mardi Gras celebration are another. We are on the brink of Lent; Ash Wednesday begins our walk toward Jerusalem and the cross. Many years ago, when Christian practices infused home life, mothers and cooks used butter and rich ingredients to prepare a final feast before going into Lent. This is how Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras (which means Fat Tuesday) got its name.
So, I invite you to Sunday worship followed by an afternoon of uplifting and playful music. Then come to feast on Tuesday followed by a humble worship on Wednesday. These days when we go from jambalaya to the bread which is the body of Christ, represent a deep truth about what really feeds us and what can truly save us. —Julia
