Easter Monday!

Ahhh...the hustle and rush and stress of Holy Week is done. I can relax.

I feel somewhat of a hypocrite, though, because while there is a lot of stress and work and anxiety associated with Holy Week (especially for those of us with more than a Good Friday service and one Easter Sunday service...), it is also the most rewarding week, spiritually, for me.

The Friday service went very well--we shared the service with the church we lease space from, which actually was OK. Some of the members of the host church are not very comfortable with the idea of a "gay church" in their space, while others are just fine. However, I think we convinced a few more folks that we don't have tails or horns.

Saturday was wonderful--a perfect balance of play and work. DP and I had a dim sum lunch with friends whom we don't see enough of--even though two of them live next door! Then we drove to the local hand-made-chocolates place, and indulged in chocolate eggs. Saw something there that still has me shuddering--chocolate crucifixes. I can accept (warily) chocolate crosses (which were also there), and chocolate Praying Hands; but crucifixes? That is a bit bizarre to me--although it gives a whole new meaning to "this is my body..." It actually reminded me of the Awful Christian Kitsch page from Christmas-time (I have a friend who really really wants the Nativity kitchen timer).

But then I went home and finished up the sermon, allowing me to go to the women's potluck dinner with a clear conscience! It was a good one (they almost always are), with a lawyer presenting on the legal issues facing same-sex couples (powers of attorney, the need for wills, etc.). Many eyes were opened to just how important marriage is--in terms of taking care of your partner after you are gone. Without a will, for instance, if you have children, they share the estate with your widow/widower; if they are minors, that means that your ex will have a say in how that property (say, a house) is disposed of... Not always a pleasant thought. And, a will is not dissolved by divorce--so if you divorce and don't write a new will, your ex will get everything when you go.

**IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER** I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. The above is my understanding of information received as part of a public event, and applies only in Canada. It should not be mistaken for actual legal information!

(Just for the lawyers out there!)

So how was my Easter Sunday? I was able to sleep in a bit, since my sermon was essentially done (one of the few benefits of a Sunday afternoon service). I had decided to demonstrate graphically the difference between the sombre plain-ness of Lent and the celebration and colour and excitement of Easter--so I actually wore a dress, full makeup and heels! I think I've done that once or twice in the 18 months I've been here. Suffice it to say, this is an exceedingly rare event for me. The expressions on people's faces were priceless, and worth the sore feet! We welcomed a new member, and even had him bite the head off a chicken (see Steel Magnolias), although it was a marshmallow Peep chick...

I also sang the consecration--my first solo in, oh, thirty years... I did OK, though not, of course, as well as I would have liked. I mean, I received compliments from people, but I personally wasn't happy with the way I forgot the words, and came in late once... But I got through it, and with more practise, I should be fine by the end of Eastertide--when we will switch to something else, of course. :}

Then we had Easter dinner with friends, with more friends dropping in later. We didn't close the door on the last of them until 11 pm! Of course, for most people here in Canada, today is a work holiday, so hanging out with friends until all hours was just fine.

I slept in today too--sore back (from the heels or from playing with the cats?), and plan to be proactive by doing some basic worship planning for the next couple of months. If I have the Scriptures, the call to worship, and maybe the invocation and benediction, along with some thoughts for the sermon, planned for the next several Sundays, I'll be ahead of the game--finally!

It will be difficult, though, since we're having a wonderful warm spring day here in River City, and I know DP wants to get some yard work done...and I'll be very tempted to wander away from the computer!