A Rainy Day and Good Friday at Church.

May 3, 2013.

What a rain we had in the early part of the day! The street gutters were full of rapidly flowing water. It was also very cold, I'm still trying to keep warm ~  my hands get so cold. Being '65' isn't really always loads of fun.

Bill and I went after the 3 o'clock service ended at Church to their house; he wanted to change clothes for tonight's Vespers and procession. Veronica and Jennifer went to Church with us, then, for the 7 o'clock Vespers. It had stopped raining, thank goodness!

We stopped at Janine and Tyson's apartment to drop something off. She is preparing a brunch to serve at Church for about 20-25 people who are going to be present at Lawson's Chrismation (Chrismation is similar to Confirmation) at 10 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday). Lawson is Tyson's godson and a senior in high school. We are going to be there for it. The brunch will be held afterwards in the church community room. 

Then we went to Church for the 7 o'clock services. There were a lot of people there this evening. There were many prayers sung by the choir, and epistles and gospels about the week just before the Crucifixion were read by the readers. I had never attended all these services of the Orthodox faith, just a few from time to time, and am so glad that I have the opportunity to do so this year, preparing for Easter, which is on May 5 this year, according to the Julian calendar.  

In late morning today the young people and children decorated the bier with real flowers ~ with the help and encouragement of a few women ~ and it turned out to be a lovely sight. I took a lot of pictures of these children and their excitement. What a pleasure it was for me! The bier is where the body of Christ was lying before burial in the tomb offered by Joseph Arimathea. Perhaps the people carried His Body to the tomb in the bier.

Like the Catholic Midnight Mass for Christmas, there is going to be a long Liturgy celebrating the Resurrection very late tomorrow night (Sat). Just before the Liturgy there will be prayers for almost an hour, then the Liturgy for Pascha (Easter), until about 2 o'clock a.m. or after. The Church will be quite full of members and guests. A large and delicious Easter Dinner will be served then. Sometimes people get home at 4 a.m., after helping to clean up afterwards. 

Jennifer is going to have brunch for all of us, maybe about 11 a.m. on Sunday. Then there is something like an Agape service, and a jam session afterwards, when quite a few people are going to help with the 'jamming'. (Last year after some event at Church, there was a small group with a jam session. That was so much fun!) Son Bill is one of them, and I think I will take my kazoo!!!!!! 


I am really looking forward to that part of Sunday! I have been very fortunate that Bill and Jennifer have picked me up to go to Church this whole week! 

I took a lot of pictures this evening during the procession of the bier being carried by six or eight tall husky young men, and all of the parishioners carrying little candles in the procession. It was all really quite moving and emotional (for me). Most of the people feel like the members of this church are like family, very kind and sociable, thoughtful and watchful for each other. 

After this week, I'll buckle down and do some work here in the garage and try to tidy up things. 

I'll see you at the Corner Post ...