My family and I forsook our regular church (its our 'ordinary Sunday' church) to attend the same one as I did on Good Friday where an old friend of ours is a parishionner.
The contrast of the day with the moving GF service was marvellously reflected in every way: tone of service, floral decoarations, the high table's dressing, the music, the responses, the sheer exuberant joy and beauty as we seek to be in step in a tiny way with the cosmos-shattering joy of Christ's resurrection (Mahler has nothing on this).
The auditorium flowers were spectacular, albeit understated and unassuming (white flowers at every column, several large vases at the front, around the paschal candle, etc.).
I really enjoy the rededication that we all do as we repeat the baptism vows. Much better than the adhoc emotionally pressured and often unwittingly humiliating non-conformist practice of old where one had to march down the front of the auditorium if the preacher felt like asking if anyone wanted to 're-dedicate' their life to Christ (talk about bogus theology).
There is also something magnificently communal about us all going to the great table for communion. Love it!
The theme of the sermon was the church being shy about proclaiming the resurrection as the great confrontation with the pagan materialsst-humanism of our day.
At home, we had morning tea and watched Songs of Praise, for another great blast of Christian celebration. All well done.
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