When all play a part...

​April 22, 2022

Dear Church Family,

During this year’s Lenten series, Holy Week, Easter Sunday, and the resumption of church traditions (including various children’s activities and congregational singing), I have been struck most by the number of different children and adults participating in our worship services. It has been especially meaningful after 2 years of the pandemic, to see so many people—new and familiar— leading prayer, playing instruments, reading the call to worship, waving palm branches, and more.

This Eastertide also marks 10 years since I had my first opportunity to read scripture before a church congregation—making this season even more special to me. Ten years ago, I was in high school, and though I had attended church nearly every week of my life, I had yet to see anyone other than a man or teenage boy address the congregation from the podium on a Sunday morning. The Sunday I served as the scripture reader for the first time, I was the first female that church had ever allowed to walk up to the podium and address the congregation. Ever since, serving as liturgist has remained one of my favorite ways to connect with my church family during worship.

These past several weeks, I’ve been reminded again and again of how inviting everyone in the church to be involved in all the elements of worship makes for a much richer and fuller shared worship experience. And after two years of anticipation, this Easter Sunday, the church felt more vibrant than it has felt in a long time. I could feel the joyful energy even as I watched online.

I am so grateful to this family—for how it welcomes all to participate and for the array of people that have volunteered to plan, lead, and participate in worship during the buildup to Eastertide (whether from the stage, the pews, from home). Family, thank you for helping to make worship such a beautiful experience each and every Sunday!

Happy Eastertide,
Caitlin Oliver
UCC Executive Committee Recording Secretary/Historian