The journey from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday easily matches the largest roller coaster ride any of us have ever taken — from Jesus riding on a donkey with cheering crowds on Sunday to the apparently ordinary days of Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday to the symbolic, emotional, confusing, terrifying, embarrassing events of Thursday to the devastating, horrifying public cries of the crowd and the torture and cruel death of Friday to the silent despair and grief of Saturday to the stunning, bewildering, joyful discovery on Sunday.

No sentence deserves to be that long, or week that emotional. Yet it is. My stomach churns just rereading the events of the week in such close proximity to each other.

My invitation to you this year is to savor each day of Holy Week so that the roller coaster ride of the week slows down and you can ask “Where do I experience this day
in my life right now?” For many of us, answering that question may mean we need to reread what actually happened during Holy Week. I confess that there are parts of the week that I would like to omit or forget because of some deeply uncomfortable personal connection.

My impulse is to say, “Take me to Easter. Give me something I can hold on to.”

Each year I have to remind myself that there are events of the week that still have a hold on me ––– reminding me of unrealistic expectations, ordinary days, powerful spiritual experiences, betrayal, abandonment, ridicule, loneliness, grief and unbelievable hope.

My prayer for us, you, me is that together we discover anew this week that “the Word [is] becoming flesh and living among us” ––– even us, even now.

David Argo

Sometimes, by chance, one starts a new chapter in life. Some 25 years ago, Margie McKelvey volunteered me to fill an adult position on Foundry’s Appalachia Service Project trip. I didn’t know much about ASP, except it involved home repair and that Chelsea Clinton and her Secret Service minders had gone the previous year, surprising other churches’ volunteers and the residents of a small Appalachia hamlet.

The first-year experience leaves a strong impression. We traveled to Wyoming County, West Virginia to stay in a former elementary school, beside a fast-flowing stream that made a nice sound through open windows as we slept. Local ladies prepared our meals. Showers were at the junior high school in the next town, or behind our school in bathing suits with a garden hose. You can guess which was more popular.

My team’s project was a 40-minute drive on winding roads through beautiful mountains. The frame house sat alone next to railroad tracks over which coal trains rumbled daily. A friendly dog was in the yard; there were many kittens. We repaired the roof and jacked up the sagging main beam in the cellar, so for the first time in years the doors in the house could actually close.

I vividly remember Henry, a wiry eight-year-old, who lived with his family in the house. He wanted to help, and we had a hard time keeping his fearless self off ladders. Henry carried around a plastic container of scrambled eggs, onions, and potato peelings for breakfast and lunch. He thought our shared PB&J sandwiches and snacks were a real treat.

Henry peppered us with questions about our world, whether we had sidewalks and what it was like to ride in an elevator. He showed our kids how to catch a chicken and how to flatten pennies on the railroad tracks.

Tex Evans, the Methodist minister who founded ASP, was right when he said “It is a ministry of relationships — with the families we serve and within our group — with construction on the side.” It is accepting people where they are, just as they are, while making their homes warmer, safer, and drier.

It is such a privilege each year to get to know our Foundry youth and adults who bring such enthusiasm and empathy to this experience, while performing practical service. What an adventure it is for all of us to meet families in Appalachia, enjoy a bit of their culture, and listen to their stories!

ASP is broadening, challenging, inspirational, and can be life changing. As longtime adult leader Ned Bachman used to say, “It is the best week of the year.” It has been so for me, and I encourage a new generation of youth and leaders to give it a try. I bet you will be hooked too.

2022 marked Bill’s 25th consecutive year going to ASP; it would have been the 26th but for the pandemic. He and his partner, Margie McKelvey, have been attending Foundry since around 1975.

Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, a retired bishop in the UMC, will be our preacher on Easter Sunday. A native North Carolinian, she was raised on the family farm in northeastern North Carolina. She graduated from Duke University and Duke Divinity School. She met her spouse Mike on a volunteer in mission work team to Bolivia in 1975. They were married in 1977 and have two children and four grandchildren.

Together, they served as teaching parents at the Methodist Home for Children in Raleigh, North Carolina. Bishop Ward also has served as a youth director, Christian educator, pastor, Director of Connectional Ministries and district superintendent in the NC Conference.

She was elected to the Episcopacy in 2004 and assigned to the Mississippi Conference in 2004 and 2008. In 2012, she was assigned to the North Carolina Conference. She ordained our own Rev. Ben Roberts! To learn more, visit foundryumc.org/bishop-ward.

Saturday, April 1
Planning To Marry?
Pre-Cana is an opportunity for couples planning to marry to gain expertise in the areas of finance, personality, relationship, and counseling. We will meet from 8:30 a.m.– 3:30 p.m. online via Zoom. The cost for attendance is $250 per couple. To register, visit foundryumc.org/pre-cana.

Easter Flowers Orders
Don’t forget to order your Easter flowers for Foundry’s sanctuary. The deadline is 1 p.m. tomorrow! To order yours, visit foundryumc.org/easter-flowers.

Sunday, April 2
Palm Sunday
As Holy Week begins, Rev. Dr. Lydia Munoz completes our Lenten series exploring “Holy Darkness” preaching at both our 9 a.m. and 11:15 services which will be in person and online. We will celebrate Holy Communion and gather together on the plaza with our palms.

Thursday, April 6
Maundy Thursday
Moving fully into Holy Week, we remember the Last Supper, at this 7 p.m. service, led by Rev. T.C. Morrow. This service will be held both in person and online.

Friday, April 7
Good Friday
We gather at noon and 7 p.m. to remember Jesus’ death on the cross. Acting Senior Pastor Rev. A. David Argo will lead us through these special services, both in person and online.

Saturday, April 8
Preparing the Sanctuary for Easter
Join Foundry’s Altar Guild as we decorate our Sanctuary and other worshiping spaces for our Easter Sunday celebration.

Easter egg Hunt & Bunny Hop Parade
Our neighbors from Friends of Stead Park will be holding their annual Easter Egg Hunt on the field at Stead Park on Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. to noon.

Sunday, April 9
He Lives!
It is the most glorious day of all, Easter Sunday! We celebrate together online and in person at 9 and 11:15 a.m. as our guest preacher, Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, preaches on the Easter story as told in the Gospel of Matthew.

Sunday, April 16
Day by Day
Today we begin our new sermon series, “Day by Day,” as we begin the 50 days of Easter. This series is inspired by Acts 2:46–47, “Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”

Rev. Kealani Willbanks will preach a sermon today titled “Courage, Interstitial Justice, Hope” focused on Acts 2:14a, 22–32, and 1 Peter 1:3–9.

Our youth will also attend the DC Defenders XFL Football Game at Audi Field! If you’d like to join us, email Jonathan Brown at jbrown@foundryumc.org.

Sunday, April 23
Earth Day
Today we celebrate Earth Day and welcome guest preacher Rev. Dr. Katy Hinman, director of the Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Tuesday, April, 25
Foundry Board Meeting
Foundry’s Board convenes its monthly meeting at 7 pm. Interested Foundry members may attend via Zoom by following this link: foundryumc.org/board-meeting. 

Sunday, April 30
As April Ends...
...and the liturgical season of Easter moves into May, we will hear a sermon from the Rev. Dr. David Argo, our acting senior minister, who will preach at both services.