Holy Week

Well it's been awhile since I've written - having break week/holy week last week threw me off pretty well. It has been a good couple of weeks, though, with some fun things scattered throughout.

I spent a large part of my holy week working on my crocheting. I am nearly done with my project, which is pretty exciting. Today I have been stitching it together, and I should have it finished by tomorrow or Tuesday at the latest. It's turning out beautifully, but I don't think I'll take on a project quite this big mid-semester again. However, it has been fun to say that I am doing homework when I'm crocheting.

The one thing I did to make up for much sitting on a couch crocheting this week, was to to the Central Ohio AIDS Walk this Saturday. It was the first 5k I've ever participated in, and it was really fun. I was proud of myself that I could walk the 5k in just about an hour, because I have not been able to work out nearly as much as I might like while I'm in school. I've been doing better on my yoga lately, but I'm also glad to know I can walk 3 miles without much problem. Thanks to everyone who supported me in the AIDS Walk - the walk as a whole raised $250,000, which was really exciting.

I also spent awhile during my break creating the internship manuals for those who will be leaving for internship this year. It was a lot of collating, but it went well. I had a whole classroom to use for two days, and I was listening to a book on tape while I did it. It was fun work, and I was glad to help.

The other major work I did this week, I did for free. My sacristan training officially began, as I joined a team who was preparing Gloria Dei, our main sanctuary at Trinity, for Easter. It was funny to be decorating for Easter on Maundy Thursday, but that is what has to be done sometimes when you're actually working in a church. We hung five huge banners across the ceiling of the sanctuary, which was no small feat, and we did it all while the brass band was practicing for our Easter service on Wednesday. It meant a lot of use of sign language of sorts. I was pleased to be able to help and to help set the altar for this upcoming week. I am still really looking forward to my sacristan job beginning next year, and I hope I always find it this rewarding, even when it is a lot of work. (I was there on Tuesday for about three hours for this one job).

Holy week at All Saints, my MIC site, was wonderful. I assisted for the first time on Palm Sunday. I was wearing a mic that I had to control, which was an interesting new thing for me. I forgot it once, and it was pretty loud when I turned it back on after the prayer I was saying, but my next word was "Hosanna" and there are worse things to shout in church on Palm Sunday.

The Maundy Thursday service there was beautiful. It had both first communion for the children who would be beginning it, as well as a footwashing/handwashing service. I had never participated in a footwashing on Maundy Thursday before, and it was a really lovely thing to be a part of. Good Friday was equally beautiful, with a procession of the cross out into the narthex at the end of the service, and singing "Were You There," one of my favorite Good Friday hymns, acapella around the cross.

Finally, Easter was this morning. I woke up to George, my cat, cuddling me, the sun just beginning ot rise, and birds chirping outside my window. The services at All Saints were beautiful, as well as packed, and I was happy to help serve communion. I was one of the bread deacons, and it felt absolutely fantastic to be able to serve communion to so many people at such an important service.

This afternoon, a few of us had a cookout here in our courtyard, which was a nice way to do Easter lunch. It's getting warm, unfortunately, so I came home and actually turned my air conditioners on. I may be the only one around here who misses the cooler temperatures, but I will always prefer winter to summer.

I am off to another busy week, as I wrap up my semester in the next few weeks. I will be doing a lot with worship, this week as a sacristan in training, and next week with my I-group who will be putting on worship. I should be a lovely couple of weeks. And it is absolutely wonderful to be in the Easter season again.

Happy Easter to you all,
Kathryn