​Wow!  hope all that read this blog had a chance to be present today at church as we celebrated Easter. Our time together was so uplifting as we celebrated Jesus overcoming sin and death and offering new life to all who would trust Him.

I spoke about how we so often seek the good life when God wants us to have the "better life." Nothing wrong with the good life, in and of itself, it's just that the better life, being a follower of Jesus brings with it such joy and purpose and meaning, that it's important to know the difference.

It was so wonderful greeting and hugging so many people! I felt the better life today and I give God thanks for that. I also give God thanks for our wonderful staff, who work so hard and are so committed to what God is doing here. Once again, my thanks go to Fr. Bill, Donna, Karen P., Karen H., Craig, Christi, and Diane (along with all of our volunteers who made Holy Week and Easter memorable). May God bless you all for helping COTHA shine brightly with Resurrection light!

He is risen!!

​Our Good Friday worship was profound! Those of us who gathered experienced God's presence in a very tangible way. And now, as I write this, we are within hours of our Easter services. I've never been so excited about celebrating Easter as I am this year. If you'e reading this on Saturday evening and have any doubts about coming, know that God will be with us tomorrow in a very significant and life changing way. It's not too late to invite a friend... but whatever you do, plan on coming!! Remember we are worshipping at our regularly scheduled times: 8:00 and 10:30 am.

​Last night was a profoundly reverent worship service. As I mentioned below, Maundy Thursday is a rich service, with many different components. It is easy to look at worship as something that we do to try and please ourselves. You know the attitude: "If I leave a service feeling like my needs were met, then I'm happy and think the worship was good, but if I was distracted or didn't like something, then the worship was bad." We have to remind ourselves over and over that there is an audience for our worship. An audience of One.. the Holy Other, Jesus Himself.

I believe Jesus was pleased with our worship (as I believe He is Sunday after Sunday as we focus on Him, not ourselves) as we reflected on the Great Commandment, to love one another as He loves us; as we celebrated the first Communion remembering the words of Jesus; as we symbolically witnessed the stripping of His clothes and the casting of lots for His garments; and as we began the long vigil of prayer in the garden. I believe He was pleased because we so intentionally focused on His presence and His call for us to serve and love like He has shown us.

I am only one person, but I left last night changed. And I suspect I am not the only person who had his/her heart touched in a profound way. It makes me look so forward to our Good Friday service tonight (at 7:30 pm) because I know that God will be here. And as I survey the wondrous cross, I will see my sins taken away through His crucifixion. I pray that many people will be here to share this momentous day.

Also, the Passion of the Christ will be shown at 1:00 pm in the Youth Room. Don't forget, if you are under 17 you must have a parental permission slip signed, due to the graphic nature of the film.

May God continue to bless this marvelous congregation and our worship of our Awesome God!

​Today is Maundy Thursday. My children used to call it "Monday Thursday." What does maundy mean? The word "maundy" comes from the Latin for command; (mandatum). It refers to the command given by Jesus at the Last Supper, that his disciples should love one another. We remember the event of this command on Thursday of Holy Week. The "event" took place when the disciples had gathered with Jesus for a meal, that we now know was their last supper together before his crucifixion. At this dinner, Jesus got up and washed his disciples feet, giving them an object lesson in humility and service. And then he said that any who would choose to follow Him, should practice the same kind of servanthood.

At our service tonight (starting at 6:45 with a supper), we will literally follow where Jesus has led. This means that the congregation will be invited to slip off their shoes and allow another to wash them and then turn around and do the same to someone else. If you have never participated in such an overt act of servanthood practiced by Jesus Himself, you may be surprised by how overwhelmingly power such an act is.

This is also the night that we re-member the institution of the Eucharist (communion). As the Gospel is read we become part of the story itself and are reminded to continue to share communion until Jesus comes again. When He comes again we will be reunited with one another, and I pray, sit at the table with the banner "Church of the Holy Apostles!"

After the sharing of communion, are service tonight takes on a solemn and stark character as we witness an abrupt stripping of the altar. This is done to help us get a sense of the violent and mocking quality of those who prepared to crucify our Lord by stripping Him of His outer garments. Those items which we always treat with care and concern, knowing that when we gather around His table (altar), He is present with us, are now treated with disdain. Doing this gives us permission to enter into this drama in profound ways.

With the stripping our service ends with silence. A Garden of Repose has been created in the sanctuary and you are invited to once again enter the drama of this night by waiting, watching and praying in the garden, attempting to live fully into Jesus request when he asked His disciples to stay awake for at least one hour, while he prayed and agonized over what He knew would take place the following day: His death on the cross on our behalf.

Maundy Thursday is usually not the most attended service of Holy Week but it can be an extremely profound experience. I invite you to be present with me tonight (Agape Meal starting at 6:45) as I ponder and pray about how that first Holy Week still moves me to confession and repentance.

​As I sit in my office at 5:17 PM on Tuesday, March 11th, my mind is full of a variety of thoughts. I spent a big part of the day in the city, visiting the Diocesan Center with Jim McCullouch and having lunch with Canon Andy Doyle. Jim showed me around a bit and I have to confess that I have not taken the time to explore downtown Houston by myself yet. Of course when he showed me Minute Maid Park (where the Houston Astros play) I thought to myself, "get Cubs tickets as soon as you can!" Being a Cubs fan and playing in the same division as the Astros will get me downtown, you can bet on it!

I was taken with the beauty of the city. Coupled with the beautiful Katy area, I know that God has blessed us all with a wonderful place to live. The weather continues to be beautiful and the number of people within a quick drive allows for us to make a big difference in this corner of the world.

We are just a week away from the most exciting time of the year for the church. Holy Week at COTHA will be extraordinary! Our worship resonates with God's Holy Spirit and I hope you will make a special attempt to be part of our celebration. As I've challenged all of us, make a list of people who don't go to Church and invite them here. God is stirring many, many people to seek Him and all that stands between them and God's love may be an invitation from you.

Speaking of invitations, let me invite you to come to Bible Study. We are continuing to study Paul's letter to the Romans on Tuesday evenings (starting at 7 pm). I know that God is leading all of us into a greater understanding and experience of His love and forgiveness.

There are many Bible Studies and small groups during the week (check the website) but since this is my blog!! let me recommend one other study. This one meets on Saturday mornings and is a Men's study and breakfast. We continue to grow closer to God and to one another and it is always open to more folks.

Enjoy the weather and pray for a tremendous Easter here at COTHA!