Spring Ahead and Ministry

Every year, the switch to daylight savings time kicks me in the rear. I aim to leave at 7:00 on Sunday mornings to pick up Daughter. Worship isn't until 10:00, but I like to have some time at the church to tweak the sermon and finalize the PowerPoint before people begin arriving. Once people start coming, I am inundated with people who want a piece of me. This morning we had 3 baptisms (a 6 month old and a couple who are both over 80) and received 7 new members. That was generating questions, and then one of the saints wanted to talk to me about Palm/Passion Sunday. I told her it needed to wait until after worship-- one more thing and my brain would explode!
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After worship, I met with the people who are involved in Palm/Passion Sunday. We are doing Stops on the Way to the Cross, focusing in on various events of Holy Week. A couple of weeks ago, I remembered the old series, "You Are There." It was a news show format reporting on events from history. I got the idea of approaching the service that way. We have about 8 people who are going to reporters and/or interviewed for the service. Some of the pieces will be on video, projected on our big screens. It will be like I am interviewing them live from a remote location. I'll have an anchor desk to use for the reporting, and will move away to lead the prayer and various other aspects of the service.
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I was concerned that the message not be lost in the gimmicks. As I wrote the service, I found a whole new perspective. I've done first person things many times in the past, but always from the perspective of today. Writing it, I became aware I was viewing the story from a whole new perspective. I discovered new insights into familiar story. There was an immediacy there hadn't been before. I found myself viewing the familiar events in a new way with a deeper understanding and appreciation. We're going to have gimmicks, but I think when all is said and done it will be a wonderfully meaning worship service.
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We met with our volunteers today, and will begin rehearsing and taping next Sunday. Everyone was on board with it. I had a really hard time getting the verb tenses right, and one of the men was suggesting changes to his part. I told him to go for it. I'm looking forward to it.
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Between writing that script and figuring out the baptism and new members for today, last week was very word intensive. This week isn't looking much better. I have to figure out annual meeting (which we're doing differently this year), Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. I'm hosting my colleagues for lunch on Tuesday, so I want to make some soup and cookies. I'd best adjust to daylight savings time quickly!