Holy Week 2011
Putnam, Conn. Jesus’ return to Jerusalem was celebrated in music Sunday by the members of several local church choirs during the Congregational Church of Putnam’s 82nd annual Palm Sunday Concert of Sacred Music.
For Christians, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, which culminates with recognition of Jesus’ death on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday.
It is a time of triumph and joy, and the music presented downtown on Sunday reflected that.
“It is the beginning of Jesus’ turn to Jerusalem, and it’s a time when we empty ourselves of the kinds of things Jesus let go of on his way to the cross” – said the Rev. Tom Meyer, pastor of the Congregational Church of Putnam. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to examine our lives and see where we are headed as Christians.”
More than 100 musicians, singers and onlookers gathered in the church Sunday afternoon, where they were treated to a wide range of music, from old-timey numbers like ‘I’ll Fly Away’ to ‘Festival Toccata,’ a pipe organ piece by late 19th- and early 20th-century English composer Percy Fletcher.
Listeners also heard ‘Hosanna I Would Shout Today,’ composed by Dorothy VanAndel Frisch, a pianist from Woodstock, who performed the piece for the second time Sunday with a choir made up of members of several of the churches that were part of the afternoon’s performances.
“I wrote it for this Palm Sunday for my parish” – VanAndel Frisch said. She said the piece is also a semifinalist in the annual Sorel Organization Choral Competition, held in New York City next month.
- Holy Week.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Monday urged the public to make up for environmental ‘sins’ too this Holy Week.
DENR chief Ramon Paje encouraged Filipinos to also use the Holy Week break to ‘be sorry about actions that may have contributed to the degradation of the environment.’
“Filipinos, largely Christians by religion, traditionally use this time to atone for their sins… Since reparation comes with atonement, let us then use the time to care for and cultivate God’s creation to make up for our ‘sins’” – he said in a statement Monday.
Paje reminded people who will take vacations this Holy Week not to ‘disturb’ the conditions of the flora and fauna in eco-tourism spots, and to dispose garbage properly in beaches and other water bodies.
“Environmentalists believe in and practice the saying, ‘Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.’ This is what we need to observe to make sure that future generations will still enjoy what we are enjoying now” – he said.
Five things you need to know today, April 18.
1 – Passover.
Passover begins at sundown today and continues for eight days. The Jewish holy day and festival commemorates the story of Exodus, in which the ancient Israelite slaves were freed from slavery in Egypt. Today also begins the Holy Week for Christians, leading up to Easter on Sunday, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.
Here are some Passover Guidelines from the First Hebrew Congregation of Peekskill.
2 – Committee of the Whole Meeting.
The Peekskill Committee of the Whole meeting has been moved to Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. from tonight in honor of Passover.
3 – Spring Break.
Local public schools are on spring break this week. Here are some great staycation ideas or outdoor activities ideas to keep you and your family busy this week.
4 – Taxes Due Today.
The deadline for filing taxes is here! If you would like to know more about where your federal tax money goes, take a look at this ABC News article.
5 – Move Over Law Enforcement Yields 43 Tickets on Sunday.
On April 17 New York State Police at Hawthorne conducted a move over detail on the Sprain Brook Parkway and ticketed 43 people for failure to move over (29 tickets issuesd), other violations (7 tickets issued), speeding (6) and one seatbelt violation. The Move Over law requires drivers to exercise care to avoid colliding with an authorized emergency vehicle which is parked, stopped or standing on the shoulder of a roadway with its emergency lights adtivated. A violation of the law can get you a fine of up to 275 dollars and two points on your drivers record. This ‘blitz’ focusing on drivers violating the Move Over law will last until April 23.