Text Box: As I was preparing the anthems, service music, hymns, etc., for the Easter services, I read again the section on Worship Helps for Easter from “Sundays and Seasons”. It was interesting to me to read how much emphasis is placed not only on the Easter garden, but on continuing parts of that garden through the season of Easter. Of course, this is the time of the year when our thoughts turn to gardening, sowing seeds in the garden and the fields, and looking forward to the blossoms and fruit later in the spring and summer. In the church, we continue to use floral arrangements through the various Sundays of Easter, to celebrate through that 50-day season the risen Lord. In our lives, we sow the seeds of faith into the hearts of the parishioners, that when the final harvest comes, we will be ready,. One of my favorite hymns is There in God’s Garden. It is a relatively new hymn to most congregations. In the ELW it is number 342. Take a look and read the words carefully, some of which are printed here: There in God’s garden stands the Tree of Wisdom, Whose leaves hold forth the healing of the nations: Tree of all knowledge, Tree of all compassion, Tree of all beauty. Its name is Jesus, name that says, “Our Savior!” There on its branches see the scars of suffering; See there the tendrils of our human self-hood feed on its lifeblood. The last verse is especially meaningful – take a look in the hymnal! When you are reading this, it will be the Season of Easter. The day of Easter will have passed, but the joyful hymns, alleluias, songs of praise continue throughout the Easter season. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the many people who made Easter day so inspirational with special music in the various services. Cornerstone, Choir, Brass – gratitude to all of you! And to Jubilee Bells for the Palm Sunday music, our thanks! In the meantime, we will be working on music through the end of May. Pentecost is the next big festival – on May 11, which is also Mother’s Day. It one of the three large festivals of the church year, along with Christmas and Easter. Let’s plan to make it a celebration of the Holy Spirit. More on this next time! To God be the Glory! Donna Paulsen Music Coordinator March 21, 2008 Text Box: Page # Text Box: Parish Visitor Text Box: Notes from the Director of Music