Olivet United Methodist Church
From The Pastor
Easter is very early this year. We will celebrate Easter on March 23rd. The date that Easter is celebrated was first established in the year 325. The calculation is based on the full moon following the spring equinox. In the western church that means that it is possible for Easter to come as early as March 21st or as late as April 25th. However Easter has never been on March 21st in any of our lifetimes. And it has only been on March 22nd once before in 1913 and most of us were not alive then either. And it will not be this early again for the rest of our lives. So, for most of us this is the earliest Easter of our lives. Since Ash Wednesday is 46 days before Easter, Ash Wednesday falls on February 6th. We will observe Ash Wednesday with the imposition of ashes at noon in the chapel and with the Ash Wednesday service at 7 PM. The night before, or Shrove Tuesday, will be celebrated with a traditional pancake supper. During Lent this year we will be using a great study on Prayer. I encourage you to join one of the small groups and prepare your heart for the Easter celebration. Please pray for me. I promise to pray for you.
Your pastor, H. Joe Tyson