This past week, our communities at Crosswicks and Groveville walked together through a Holy Week that was spiritually meaningful and full of deep moments. I feel grateful. Not only for what we did, but for what we experienced together.
We began on Palm and Passion Sunday. We remembered and celebrated Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, welcomed with palms and songs. There was joy in the air as we sang together. And yet, as the service moved into the Passion, we entered a deeper space.
One of the most powerful moments came when we were invited to come forward and place our burdens at the cross. Our anxieties, disappointments, and struggles, but also our joys and accomplishments. Everything.
We were reminded of something difficult but very real. That there is a force so strong within us that even when we have the Savior in front of us, we may fail to recognize him. That the same voices that cry “Hosanna” can later cry out for crucifixion. It was a deeply reflective moment for us as a community.
On Maundy Thursday, we shared one of the most profound and intimate services many of us had ever experienced. Together, Crosswicks and Groveville UMC gathered around the table, not just to remember the Last Supper, but to enter into it in a tangible way.
We reflected on a simple but powerful question: What would you do if you knew this was your last night?
We sang, we prayed, we shared a meal, and we received Holy Communion. We also experienced the washing of hands, a simple act that became deeply meaningful. It was a night that many of us will carry in our hearts for a long time.
On Good Friday, we joined our brothers and sisters from other Christian traditions in the area at the First Presbyterian Church in Hamilton Square. Together, we stood in silence before the cross.
We reflected on the question: How far would God go to keep his promise?
Even when we have broken the covenant again and again, God remains faithful. That silence, shared together, became a response in itself. It was sacred, and it was meaningful for all who were present.
After waiting through the quiet of Holy Saturday, we gathered early on Easter Sunday morning for our Sunrise Service at the Groveville cemetery. As the light began to break, we sang with hope, we prayed with expectation, and we shared what the resurrection means to those present.
There was something powerful about proclaiming life in a place that reminds us of death.
And then, we closed our Holy Week with our Easter Service. One full of music, full of joy, and full of people who came to celebrate with us. Together, we proclaimed that the resurrection is an invitation into new life, into new beginnings, into a new way of walking.
And maybe we do not always step into that newness without fear. But we step into it anyway. Even with fear, we move forward. We now look ahead with hope, trusting that God is still doing something new among us.
Thank you, Crosswicks. Thank you, Groveville!
What a gift it is to walk this journey together.
Warmly,
Rev. David Gaitan
