An important step

I woke up pretty early this morning, even by my standards. I did some reading but couldn't stop thinking about that appointment with Dr. Patel. That's such a lousy way to begin a day. I went looking for any paperwork or appointment card and couldn't come up with a thing. So I called first thing to cancel it. Turns out the appointment was set last March when I was in there. No wonder I didn't remember anything about it!

The Pathway Bible Church executive committee met tonight and easily agreed that the opportunity to rent a local dance studio for Sunday mornings was a great opportunity to move our church to the next level. I rode by it on my way to the meeting and it will be a great site. Major intersection, newer building, two large studios and a large lobby area, and an owner who is very supportive of our efforts.
We're having our services in a local park this Sunday so we'll have enough room for those we think will be there. After an Easter service we'll have some games for the kids and then a picnic lunch for everyone. And if the details can be worked out before then, we'll announce our new location for the following Sunday.
Having a commercial space allows us to do some marketing. People are understandably hesitant to go to a church that meets in someone's house, and it's not especially easy to find. Once we get settled into this space we can begin with some direct mail and other means of spreading the Word. I'll keep you posted.

Tomorrow I'll finish up the painting at Gerry's place, just around the corner from our house. He's from Minnesota and winters here with Pat, his lady friend who is also from the land of Scandahoovians. Yesterday I introduced Gerry to Sven and Ole jokes, and gave him a couple more today. He laughed so hard he almost cried.

I've made my bracket choices, and after learning that the entire Anderson family roots rabidly for Duke, I put them through to the final game in the West division. But I couldn't carry them past UCLA. Sorry, Quinn.

Thursday afternoon Christ and the 12 again crossed the Kidron Valley for Jerusalem, and again he sent two on ahead, this time to secure an upper room. When he arrived with the others they went to this room to have the Passover meal, which began at sundown. (According to the Jewish calendar, sundown Thursday marks the beginning of Friday, which was Passover that year.) During the meal he identified Judas as the one who would betray him, after which Judas left the room. He also told Peter that Peter would deny him three times before the night was done. He taught them some and prayed for them. Then he shared the cup with them and told them it symbolized the blood he would shed for them.
They left the room late, probably about 11:00 p.m. and headed back to Bethany. At least that's what the disciples thought.
Half way up the east side of the Kidron Valley they stopped at an olive grove called the Garden of Gethsemane because Christ wanted to pray. He went off by himself for a short time and when he came back he found them asleep. He rebuked them and went off to pray again, and again they fell asleep. The third time he returned Judas arrived with Roman soldiers who arrested him and took him back into Jerusalem. The disciples followed behind.
During the remainder of the night and into the early morning hours Christ was taken back and forth between the Jewish religious leaders and the Roman authorities - soldiers and Pilate the Roman governor stationed in Jerusalem. At each of these brutal sessions he was mocked and beaten. Some of these beatings were so severe that his facial features were distorted beyond recognition. The trials were bogus, of course. They were just an opportunity for the leaders and the Romans to enjoy some cruel sport at his expense.
During one of these sessions, held at the house of the High Priest, Peter waited outside in the courtyard. Three times he denied to bystanders that he was a follower of Jesus.
By the time the sun was coming up Friday morning, a crowd had gathered around Pilate's headquarters, anxious to see a crucifixion.