A few weeks ago, I shared an article titled “Saying ‘Yes’ to the Best,” reflecting on Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:37 and the importance of living with clarity, integrity, and faithful limits. In that article, I explained the need to “press pause” on some good and meaningful responsibilities in order to focus on preparing a Lilly Clergy Renewal Grant application.

I want to begin this week by saying thank you!

Thank you for your prayers, your encouragement, and your understanding during this focused season. With the help of our Sabbatical Advisory Team and several other gifted leaders in our church, we were able to complete a strong and thoughtful grant application—and submit it two weeks ahead of the deadline. That in itself feels like a gift of God’s grace. Now, we enter a season of waiting, as grant recipients will be announced on August 28. I am deeply grateful for the shared effort that made this possible and for the way you, as a congregation, continue to support both my calling and the long-term health of our church.

As we turn the corner into the coming week, our attention shifts to one of the most sacred and meaningful times in the life of the church: Holy Week.

Beginning with Palm Sunday on March 29, we remember Jesus’ final entrance into Jerusalem. Crowds gathered, palms were waved, and voices cried out in praise—yet within days, the tone would shift dramatically. One of His own disciples would betray Him. He would be arrested, mocked, and ultimately crucified on a cross at Calvary. His body would be placed in a borrowed tomb. As Paul reminds us in Philippians 2:6–8, Jesus “humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross.”

And yet, that is not the end of the story.

Holy Week culminates in the joy and victory of Easter Sunday, when we proclaim that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. Sin and death do not have the final word—God does.

There is a temptation, however, to rush too quickly to Easter morning—to move past the weight of betrayal, suffering, and sacrifice in order to arrive at celebration. But if we skip the journey, we miss something essential. It has often been said that if you look closely at the final week of Jesus’ life, you will see a reflection of everything He did throughout His ministry: teaching, serving, loving, forgiving, surrendering, and trusting the Father completely.

Here at HRBC, we are intentional about walking that journey together. We want to be present with Jesus not only in the triumphal entry and the empty tomb, but also in the upper room, the garden, and the cross.

So let me encourage you—make it a priority to worship during Holy Week.

Our schedule provides several meaningful opportunities to gather:

• March 29 – Palm Sunday Worship at 10:30 a.m., followed by our Easter Egg Hunt at 2:00 p.m.

• April 2 – Maundy Thursday Service with Holy Communion and Tenebrae

• April 3 – Good Friday Ecumenical Service at 10:00 a.m. at Bon Air Christian Church

• April 5 – Easter Sunday Worship at 10:30 a.m.

Each of these services offers a unique opportunity to reflect, remember, and respond to the love of Christ.

And as always, I want to extend this invitation clearly and warmly: whether you have been in church your entire life or have never really connected before, Easter is a wonderful time to begin again. No matter where you have been or what your story holds, there is a place for you here.

As we enter this holy season, may we resist the urge to rush ahead. Instead, may we walk faithfully, step by step, with Jesus—trusting that the path through the cross always leads to resurrection.

Grace and peace,