Holy Week: What is it and Why Observe it?
By Bruce Stoltenberg
Holy Week is the last week of Lent, the week leading up to Easter (or Resurrection) Sunday. While the observance of the week has changed over time, the week or particular days during the week have been a part of the church’s preparation for Easter for centuries.
Observing Holy Week was to remind Christians of all that Christ went through and shared during the final week of his life on earth. It completes Lent, a season of preparation. Here is a likely chronology of that week:
Palm Sunday is the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the time during his first coming when he was celebrated as the coming king (Matt. 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19).
Holy Monday was the day that Jesus cursed a fig tree and when he cleansed the temple, driving out the money changers (Matt. 21:12-22, Mark 11:15-19, Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-17).
Holy Tuesday is a day of confrontations with the scribes and Pharisees and Jewish leaders and a time of teaching on the Mount of Olives (Matt. 21:23—24:51, Mark 11:20—13:37, Luke 20:1—21:36, and John 12:20-38).
Holy Wednesday is a day on which we have no clear record of Jesus’ activity. He may have spent it in Bethany, possibly with Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
Maundy Thursday is the day of the Last Supper and the day that Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. Maundy comes from a Latin word for commandment and refers to Jesus’ command to his disciples that they love one another, just as He had loved them (John 13:34). It is often an evening for baptisms and first communions. Some churches also do foot washings. The current Pope of the Catholic Church has washed the feet of prisoners, refugees, and youth at a juvenile detention center as a part of his Maundy Thursday observance. Jesus prayed a lengthy prayer for his followers (John 17) and agonized with His Father in the Garden of Gethsemane over the events He was about to face. The day closed with Judas betraying Him and the other disciples abandoning Him. (Matt. 26:17-75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13:1-38).
Good Friday is the day that Christ was denied by Peter, tried, convicted, mocked, executed and placed in a tomb. It is also the day that the Passover Lamb was being sacrificed in the temple (Matt. 27:1-62, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63—23:56, and John 18:28—19:37).
Holy Saturday was a quiet one for the disciples because they were in shock, but also observing the Passover Sabbath. It has often been observed by a fast, beginning any time from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday, a fast broken at sunrise on Easter Sunday.
Holy Week provides Christians the opportunity to review and remember all that Christ taught and endured during those seven days as recorded in scripture. There are sometimes opportunities to physically participate in expressions of the triumphal entry, communion, foot washing, fasting, and the darkness of Good Friday. We love to jump to the end of the story, Easter Sunday, but Christ gave us more than that to participate in, and learn from, during Holy Week.
The Gift of Youth
by Sally Becker
The gift of youth is often said to be wasted on the young. But, that is not always true. The gift of youth is not only about the excitement of learning and experiencing new things, but also about discovering what you love in life. In scripture it is clear that Jesus treasures children. In Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” And, what a gift it is to know or feel the love of God as a youth! A youth group leader gives the youth, this little person that is transitioning from childhood into adulthood, a glimpse of God’s “unhindered” love through their words, their actions, and through their invitation for all youth to experience Jesus.
Mike and Belinda Ballah have volunteered to serve Hood River Alliance Church as the Middle School and High School Youth Group Leaders. When asked why they are volunteering, Mike’s response was simply stated “I love God and I love kids.” They have been given a passion to mentor kids together in Hood River for over 30 years.
Mike became a Christian at the age of 21 and soon after, Belinda committed her life to Christ too. Their love for Jesus has been shared and celebrated in their marriage for 42 years. Together they have had a beautiful journey of happily serving youth when the Lord has asked. Mike’s ministry began about 10 years after accepting Christ when he was offered a Youth Outreach position at Hood River Alliance Church. The couple packed their bags, left Seattle, and moved to Mosier with their toddlers where they started their adventure in obedience to God’s call. Since then, Mike and Belinda have been called in and out of youth ministry both inside and outside of the church. They are excited to continuously follow God’s lead to keep their hearts and their home open to all who need them.
As time passed in between ministry positions, Mike worked as a truck driver for various companies and Belinda worked at Nordstroms as well as the Hood River School District. They lived between Hood River, Vancouver, Portland and Seattle during these years. It was during one of these pauses in ministry positions that Mike was approached by a stranger in the middle of the night at one of his delivery stops. The message that the stranger shared with Mike was that “God loves you and He is not done with you yet!” This confirmed what Mike already knew, which was that God would again call him to serve the youth. Little did he know that God would align a job in Hood River and draw him back to the place that Belinda and him refer to as “home”. Belinda continues to serve the community as Director of the Hood River County Prevention Department, speaking to kids in schools and coming alongside parents with information so that, as the county website states, the community can be “healthy, safe and drug-free.”
The thoughtfulness of God’s presence has never left the Ballahs. Even as they share about a life altering crash where Mike was hit by a drunk driver, they can’t help but mention God’s hand in it all. God protected Mike and his friend that day so that he can continue to live an evangelistic life, sharing his testimony with others. Mike clearly states the excitement he has for His Creator with these words, “God is awesome and I can’t imagine life without him!”
So what is it exactly that the Ballahs like about youth ministry? It’s pretty simple...they don’t like the youth, they LOVE the youth! They care for the kids both physically and spiritually - feeding them, listening to them, playing with them and praying for them. They have great joy in seeing kids excited to give their life to Jesus and so in love with the Lord after camps that they don’t want it to end!
Testimonies in the church tell us about the different ways that we experience God’s love. And a life well lived, serving God, will have an impact on many. It was easy to find past youth group students who were eager to let the congregation know their experience with Mike and Belinda as mentors. Their comments are the ultimate letter of recommendation for any youth or parent. Enjoy getting to know your youth group leaders - Mike and Belinda Ballah. Let’s pray for and encourage them as they work hard to let the life and love of Jesus shine in the Gorge. Their love is a gift for the youth!
“ One thing I have always respected so much about Mike is his ability to make anyone and everyone feel welcome, accepted, and loved. He is so gifted at putting people at ease and making them feel welcome and at home. His heart for inclusion makes the youth group and the church feel like such a safe and inclusive space. I bet Jesus was like that.” - Christina Papoulias (Saur)
"I have known Mike for the entire 36 years of my life. I've known him as a youth group leader, as a boss when I interned for him, as a peer when I served with him, as my best friend's dad, and as the friend who takes my kid fishing. Mike is never a passing ship in someone's life; once he has met you, he impacts you. His love for Jesus, his joy, his deep laugh, his amazingly bad jokes; every day in Mike Ballah's life is a chance to let people know they are loved." - Gretchen Goss
“Mike has been, and continues to be a man who routinely impacts my life with the love of Christ. From the time I was a young man exploring the boundaries of my teenage years, I have known Mike Ballah to be someone who loves and accepts all people whole heartedly. This kind of radical love and acceptance is what drew me in first as a teenager to want to be friends with him and it's this love that has sustained our friendship over the many years of life. God has given Mike a supernatural ability to see people as He sees them, and this is what I have witnessed minister so deeply to others. We live in a world of hurting people needing a tangible experience of God’s love. Mike provides this kind of unconditional love in his everyday life - and because of it, people are touched and naturally want to follow him. Through the years Mike has acquired the name “The Pied Piper”, (not sure if he is aware of that), but that name most accurately describes who and how God has blessed this man and his role in advancing the kingdom of God. We are so blessed to have him back!” - Neal Holste
Lent has a heart to it. A core. And it might be hard to miss it if Lent is: "I'm giving up Twitter/chocolate/coffee/TV for Lent." Simply giving something up misses the heart of it.
There can be a lot of confusion regarding Lent. I’ve been pretty confused what it is. Often it just seems like an excuse to diet.
The Bible does not require us to recognize liturgical seasons like Lent, or even Advent. In Romans 14:5, Paul writes that the celebration of holy days is a matter of Christian freedom. He continues, “The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord” (Romans14:6). From that passage we learn that any recognition of Lent must be done in a way that honors God.
As Jesus made clear when he quoted Isaiah to the Pharisees, external actions that don’t engage the heart do not honor God: “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites… ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.’”
So then, our goal is for Lent to be a time of focusing on the heart, a time for asking questions about our spiritual health. It would be the spiritual equivalent of an annual physical exam—a time to take stock of our lives and our hearts, not just to give up chocolate, TV, or Starbucks. It’s a time to focus on the death and resurrection of Christ, a time of assessment and repentance, and a time to allow the Spirit to make us new.
And yet, while at its core, Lent is an inward heart practice, we need to remember that we are not purely spiritual beings. God created us as physical beings, and what we do physically has an effect on us spiritually.
For example, while it’s true that my attitude in prayer is more important than my posture in prayer, sometimes being in a physical posture of humility—kneeling or bowing—helps me get in the right frame of mind. God created us with a connection between the physical and spiritual. That’s why, at the center of Christian worship, God gave us baptism and communion—simple physical rites involving water, bread, and wine—that lead us into the most profound of spiritual realities.
We recognize this God-created link between the physical and the spiritual in the Lenten season in a variety of ways. Historically, it has included a physical element, specifically fasting and other acts of self-denial. But Lent can also involve replacing the denied item with something else, such as scripture reading, spiritual examination, or even journaling. We must remember our goal in taking on any Lenten activity is never to bulk up our spiritual muscles or to test ourselves to see how sacrificial we can be. In fact, a very meaningful fast could easily be a very small fast, more like having a pebble stuck in your shoe, as opposed to trying to lift a boulder.
What are some of your ideas of how to practice Lent? Will you add something this year (reading the Gospel of Mark) or take something away (bye Netflix, see you in 40 days)? How will this action cause you to reflect inwardly over these 40 days?
And one last thing - Sunday is a day to celebrate the resurrection, so we break our fasts on Sundays (hi again Netflix). It’s a way to remember that he is risen throughout the season.
Dear HRAC Family,
We are rejoicing at the opportunity to gather once again for in-person worship on Sunday, Sept 6! We look forward to seeing those of you who are able to join us. However, if you do not feel comfortable coming together at this time, you may choose to continue connecting with us on the live stream or you may gather with friends and neighbors for a house church. We hope this information will help to make the transition from at home to the church building as smooth as possible when you choose to return.
We are committed to providing an environment that complies with the guidelines set forth by Oregon government officials and have modified our services to create a “touchless” worship experience to keep you, your family and all of us as safe as possible. Bulletin information will now be on the website.
We will be gathering in the Sanctuary for our 10am service and will be able to accommodate 100 individuals. RSVP’s on the HRAC website (www.hralliance.org) will begin at noon on Wednesday of each week and will end on Sunday morning at 7am on a first-come, first serve basis. Please remember to reserve spaces for all members of your family that will be attending, including children. If you are unable to reserve a space for a given Sunday, please try again. If you have RSVP’d and are then unable to attend, please free your space on the website so that those on the waiting list may attend.
This is what we are doing to help keep our experience together safe and healthy:
Face masks for ages five and over will be required to attend our worship service and must remain in place from the time you leave your car until the time you return to your car. Grace will be extended to younger children and those with physical or medical conditions that prevent them from wearing a mask. Masks will be available at the entrance to the sanctuary if you need one.
Physical distancing is to be observed for all seats in the Sanctuary and the Fellowship Hall and is expected for all socializing that occurs. Family groups may remain together. Children are welcome and encouraged in the service and are asked to remain with their family group at all times.
Kids’ activity packs will be available at the entrance.
Hand sanitizer will be provided to clean your hands upon entry.
Specific doors will be used to enter and exit the building. Please follow the signage.
Offering boxes are available at the entrance to and exits from the sanctuary.
Designated restrooms will be available in the foyer and the Fellowship Hall.
Water fountains and coffee will not be available, but you are welcome to bring your own drinks.
Although we don’t have a Nursery available, the Soothing Room with a changing table will be open.
This is what you can do to help keep our experience together safe and healthy:
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, loss of sense of taste or smell, please stay home and worship online.
Wear a mask for the protection of others.
Observe physical distancing inside and outside the building.
If you wish to visit with others, please do so outside with masks and properly distanced.
Be respectful and show grace to one another.
We are excited to begin taking the first steps to re-open our church! May God grant us wisdom, patience and loads of grace as we move forward. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus as we navigate this new territory.
