Easter in BC

Holy week began with Palm Sunday, and we celebrated that in 2 churches -

in a 9 am service at Hazelmere United Church just down the road from us

and then in Bakerview Mennonite Brethren Church in Abbotsford

at the 11:15 a.m. liturgical service. 

The next major event was paska baking with Paul on Wednesday! 

We got the biggest bowl we could find in the Brooksdale kitchen. 

I put together all the ingredients and Paul did the stirring.

Then he gave the dough a good work out! 

In the end we had a fine result! 

Paul and Angela asked us to join their church family for all the events of the weekend.

They attend "Church at Southpoint" in White Rock.

The congregation does not have a home, but they do operate a cafe called Small Rituals.

So that is where we met for Maundy Thursday.

People brought food and crowded in.

During the mealtime, the Scriptures of Holy Week were read.   

On Good Friday in the morning we lit our Lent candle in our room. 

Next morning the congregation gathered at Kingfisher Farm in "The Shelter."

We dipped our hands, then placed them on the cross, then washed them

At Kingfisher Farm Angela had suggested they do 6 stations of the cross.

Each of the 6 families living there prepared one station.  

Station One - the cup representing the Last Supper

Station Two - Pilate sits on the judgement Seat and washes his hands of responsibility.

The Stations of the Cross took us on a path through the woods of Kingfisher Farm.

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Station Three - Jesus carries his cross. 

Station Four - Simon of Cyrene is asked to get involved in the suffering of Jesus.

We put our hands in mud, symolizing our willingness to get involved in the suffering of  people around us.  

 Then we washed in the bowl.

 

Station Five - the Hill of Golgotha (the old tree stump almost looked like Golgotha).

Station Six -the empty tomb.
The hollow tree trunk was decorated with flowers.

Within the tree, this heart represents that Jesus in alive.

Kate is taking a picture of the tree and the heart within in.

Black Saturday, April 7th also happened to be Simon's 8th birthday.

It was a quiet day because his party happened the week before. 

Sunday morning we switched our lent candle to a white one.
The framed picture is woodcut of the tomb and the angel that Simon did when he was 4.

We enjoy our Easter breakfast by the dining room bay window.

From here was can watch the ducks on the pond. 

We stop by the church in Hazelmere

The pastor, Lori, recites the Easter story in a gripping way

Then we joined Southpointe congregation at the community center in White Rock. 

Angela did a great job of decorating the space for Easter.

The flowering of the cross was a highlight.

 

Paul and Agnela hosted a family dinner for some biological family (us)

and another farm family - Markku and Leah Kostamo and their daugthers, Brynn and Maya. 

Sunday afternoon it was time for the Easter egg hunt.

We had the hunt right in front of Paul and Angela's house. 

Paul finds his chocolates

Kate found her Easter basket in the cedars

Easter Sunday evening Kate comes for a sleepover with Oma and Opa.

We ask what she wants to play with.  Tinker toy! 

We wish we had a picture of her Daddy playing with it when he was 5!

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And so the Easter season has come to a close.