This Week in Worship – 3/15

Dear Grace Family,

Saint Patrick’s Day does not fall on a Sunday every year, so when it does, we should embrace it. That doesn’t mean we will have a parade or throw a big party, but it is an opportunity to wear green to church. Green is the color of “Ordinary Time” in our liturgical calendar. It is those times when we are not in another season like Lent, Advent or Pentecost. Green is like the boring season when we don’t have anything better to celebrate, but not this Sunday. This Sunday I am inviting you to fill our worship service by wearing green to honor Saint Patrick. Let’s make it a “Green Day” and have the time of our life!
Saint Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland. His story is a mixture of legend and history. We are not sure exactly when he lived, but somewhere around the 5th Century. He was not Irish but was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave. During that time, he became very religious and eventually escaped. He decided to return to Ireland and share the gospel. One of the ways he talked about God was with the shamrock. He used the three leafed plant to explain the Trinity. That is the reason the shamrock has become a symbol of Saint Patrick’s Day.

This Sunday, Pastor Mitch and I will trade places in worship. Mitch will preach in traditional worship and I will be in Common Grace. We will continue our sermon series “Where Real Life Meets Real Love,” by talking about anxiety and fear. How does the gospel speak to our fears and invite us to live into God’s kingdom? It will be a wonderful “Green Day” to be in church!

See you in worship!
Barry

Each Tuesday Pastor Mitch publishes a devotion on his website Weeklydevotion.com.  If you’d like to receive this in your inbox, drop him an email at  [email protected] and just say “Sign me up!”