“He was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows.”
(Isaiah 53:3–4 ESV)
Dear Friends,
Greetings in Jesus’ name.
A great preacher from another generation was Dr. Walter A. Maier, the first preacher on the ground-breaking Lutheran Hour radio broadcast. His Holy Week appeal I share with you here:
We rear imposing monuments to those who have earned the trophies of victory on bloody battle-fields; but by the sweat of Gethsemane and the gore of Calvary our Saviour triumphed over the legions of hell for you and for me, … who by living and dying for us has made life so eminently worth living and death worth dying for Him. … And how can we design a monument of thanksgiving to Him who gave all for us, His own holy Self, His own stainless life, His own cleansing blood in that sorrow of sorrows, the deepest and darkest of all agonies, that death of deaths on the cross, – and gave all this out of His immeasurable love, His limitless grace?
The appeal of this solemn week asks us to make our hearts and lives living, breathing monuments to the radiance of Christ’s love for us. As we once more stand on the threshold of these seven solemn days ready to pull aside the curtain that reveals the inner sanctuary of all history’s holy of holies, the altar where humanity’s High Priest offered Himself as the eternal and ever-valid Sacrifice, I appeal in the name of the Crucified to those who have hardened themselves against the reaped invitations of mercy and ask them: “Is it nothing to you?” … If you have never been moved to repentance and faith, then may God in His infinite love make you behold your sins and your Saviour in the light of Calvary, so that this week may truly be a holy week for you, and the beginning of the most penetrating and permanent happiness that you can ever know.
I appeal to you … who have forgotten your vows of loyalty, spurned the advice and prayers of God-fearing parents, and, in effect, turned the “Hosannas” of your youth into the “Crucify Him” of your more mature years. In the name of the Redeemer again I ask you to return to Him, your heavenly Advocate, who intercedes for you and all the unfaithful with his dying appeal before Heaven’s tribunal, “Father, forgive them.”
I appeal finally to you who have walked hand in hand with the Saviour through the trials and temptations of life and who have found in His trials and temptations of life and who have found in His unfailing companionship strength, guidance, and the joy of life; and I ask in His hallowed name that you continue to worship Him “in spirit and in truth” singing unto eternity, in strains of unchanging loyalty, “Hosanna! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
Father above, grant us this penitent faith, this return to You, this abiding loyalty, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
(Christ for Every Crisis, The radio messages broadcast in the second year of The Lutheran Hour, CPH 1935)
Coming Up at Prince of Peace …
Easter Sunday, April 5
9:00 Easter Breakfast
10:30 Easter Celebration with Holy Communion
Easter Sunday Potluck Breakfast – You’re invited to our family potluck breakfast at 9:00 am on Easter morning, April 5. A sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board. There will also be an Easter egg hunt for the kids! (Reminder: Be sure your contributions are nut free. Thanks!)
Discover the sights, sounds, and symbols of Holy Week. Christians all over the world celebrate Easter and their new life in Jesus—but what about the week leading up to Easter? What is Holy Week? This video explains the traditions and the significance of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. We encourage you to use this video as a tool to teach your family about Jesus. View the video. Share it with others. Click here .
The Season of Lent at Prince of Peace …
May the Lord bless you as God points us to His Son, Jesus, the Lamb of God:
Holy Week
Maundy Thursday, April 2 @ 7:00pm “The King’s Feast”
Good Friday, April 3 @ 10:30am “The King Forsaken”
Easter Sunday, April 5 @ 9:00am Easter Breakfast
Easter Sunday, April 5 @ 10:30am “The King Raised”
News …
Seniors Lunch on April 13: Carpenter Hospice executive director, Karen Candy, will be our presenter at Seniors Lunch on Monday April 13th at noon. She has an informative presentation prepared that includes a video created for the hospice. Karen will also provide time for answering your questions. We will have a pot-luck lunch so bring a dish and a friend!
Easter Lilies for Easter Sunday— Members of the congregation are invited to bring in Easter Lilies for our Easter display. Bring them to the Church any time up to Good Friday. Thank you
Midweek Communion Service: On Easter Thursday, April 9, the pastors of the Hamilton Circuit will be meeting at Prince of Peace for their monthly “winkel.” As a congregation, we’d like to offer an opportunity for the pastors to receive the Lord’s Supper. Being a congregational event, members of Prince of Peace are welcome to attend as well. The service begins at 9:30am and runs less than an hour.
Chilifest 2015 – Yes, it was such a great success we want to do it again! We would still like to see a couple more people volunteer for the organizing committee. The first committee meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 8 at 7:00pm.
LCC-East District Convention (May 3-6):
- For the convention they are looking for volunteers to distribute and collect election ballots &/or messages and handouts to/from the delegates during business sessions Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday morning. Sessions are generally about 2 hours long. If you are able to help out for one or more of these sessions, please contact Darryll Holland at dholland@lcceast.ca or 519-578-6500 ext 214.
- Also needed are volunteers with some technical abilities who could help run video cameras or other such equipment. If you are available and able to help out for one or more of these sessions, please contact Darryll Holland at dholland@lcceast.ca or 519-578-6500 ext 214.
Online …
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today: At Easter, we rejoice in the empty tomb—Jesus is alive, raised from the dead! Because He conquered sin and death, we can cling confidently to His work on the cross, which forever secures our salvation. Share the real meaning of Easter and the joy of our risen Savior with this video.
Simple Steps for Family Devotions: Between work, school, and extracurricular activities, families are busy! Finding that regular, daily time to read and reflect on God’s Word as a family may seem daunting. But it’s really an exciting opportunity to unify your family around God’s Word and provide a safe place for faith conversations to happen. Watch this short video—and discover just how doable devotions can be for your family. Click here .
In your prayers, please remember:
- Those who mourn
- Those who are ill
- Those who travel this season
- Those suffering religious persecution in various parts of the world
The Lord be with you.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Pastor Kevin Walrath
