FaithFaith FAMILYFAMILY “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here; he is risen!” Luke 24:5 Celebrating the Hope of Easter Holy Week marks the 40-day period of solemn cleansed the Temple Holy (Spy) Good Friday Holy Saturday most solemn and prayer and repentance. area from shameful Wednesday Pontius Pilate bowed Christ’s disciples revered period on the Palm Sunday recalls practices. Luke 19 indi- This day marks to the pressure of the were heartbroken at his Christian calendar. Holy Christ’s arrival in cates that Pharisees Judas’ betrayal of Jesus Temple leadership and death and observed the Week helps to mark the Jerusalem when he was warn Jesus that he when he met with high the crowds, condemn- Jewish Sabbath in sor- Paschal Mystery, which received with lavish should silence the priests. Judas was paid ing Jesus to death by row, forgetting about includes the Passion, praise and excitement. crowd’s praises toward 30 pieces of silver for crucifixion. Christ was the promise of resurrec- death, resurrection, and Catholic Online, the on- him. his information. forced to parade tion. ascension of Jesus line guide to the through crowds wearing Christ. Catholic faith, says Holy Tuesday Holy Thursday a crown of thorns to Easter Sunday Many events un- Jesus arrived humbly on As described in John On this evening symbolize his status as The public discov- folded in a short period a donkey to show he 12:20-36 and John Christ dined for King of the Jews, and ered that Jesus’ tomb of time during the final came in peace as a man 13:21-38, some people Passover with his disci- carried a massive was empty and that he days of Christ’s physi- of the people. As signs observed Christ’s pre- ples at The Last Supper, wooden cross on his fulfilled his promise to cal existence on earth. of respect, townspeople dictions of his own creating a template for back. He was nailed to rise from the dead. This These events are placed clothes, branches death on this day. He Holy Mass and Holy the cross by the ankles is a great feast day with marked during Holy and palm fronds in front was also confronted by Eucharist celebrations. and wrists and hanged worship and celebra- Week. To understand of Jesus. Temple leadership for During the meal, Jesus for three hours. He died tion. Easter Sunday is them further, here’s a the cleansing of the predicted the events that at 3 pm. His body was the foremost day of reli- day-by-day guide. Holy Monday Temple the day before, would immediately fol- hastily removed and put gious observance within Matthew 21 and and they questioned his low, including his be- in a tomb. the Christian faith. Palm Sunday Mark 11 indicate that authority. trayal, the denial of Palm Sunday is the Christ returned to Peter, and his death and final Sunday of Lent, a Jerusalem this day and resurrection. A Supplement to The Clermont Sun, The Ripley Bee, The News Democrat, The Peoples Defender, The Ledger Independent Faith and Family - Celebrating the Easter Season 2020 Faith and Family Page 2 And I took the road less traveled It was the spring of pany, helping round up were very different. hope to them while par- ing law practice in New has also been a wonder- 1995. I was a twenty- funding for basketball Well, reading about ticipating in delivering Jersey, to my own par- ful encouragement. four-year-old seminary and volleyball courts, Paul, maybe not that justice. ents and family, and es- In his poem, “The student driving up enduring the unimagin- different. But I have not given pecially to a church Road Not Taken,” Route 68 through Paris able floods of early I have never believed up on sharing the gospel family that grew up Robert Frost speaks and Maysville, Ken- March in 1997, working working as an attorney whenever afforded the with me over those about coming to a fork tucky, headed for on and learning about and as a pastor are in- opportunity. During fourteen years. in the road one morning Brown County and an the rhythms of On returning, we and trying to decide interview to become the farm life and how found a place to which way was better. Pastor of Decatur and they compared to hang a shingle and He writes, “And both Mount Olivet United my growing up the opportunity to that morning equally Methodist Churches. crabbing, clam- partner up with lay. In leaves no step Growing up in the shad- ming, and fishing some great attor- had trodden black. Oh, I ows of Atlantic City, the the back bays and neys, Yonas and kept the first for another Big Red Machine was ocean around At- Rink, looking to day! Yet knowing how all I knew about the lantic City, New move back to the way leads on to way, I area. Jersey, killing coy- Brown County doubted if I should ever When I first turned otes, nights at the area. John Yonas come back.” During my my car onto Russel- dirt track with my and his wife are late teens, I chose semi- lville-Winchester Road, neighbors, and so Western Brown nary over law school those who have become many more mem- graduates. God put thinking I was shutting so dear to me and I, my- ories came back us together while I a door on a career in the self, had no idea that the and made their was moving back law. God reopened it a first meeting would be way into stories and he was looking few years later. Twenty- so important. That and sermons over to expand back two years ago, I left night my destination the next twenty into his hometown Brown County thinking was Richard “Butch” odd years. area from down- I would never return. Arn’s house. After a few town Cincinnati. God opened the way. Butch had agreed to years in the full- Having the ability Unlike with Frost’s pre- be the head of the time pulpit and to work with their diction, I have been able search committee for three in adminis- firm and American to take both roads a few the new pastor. I was to tration at Cir- By James Schroeder Homeland Title times in my life when meet with him and his cleville Bible helped me get on God brought me back family before we College, I found my feet during this around. headed to meet the rest myself at a hinge- transition. God A lot has changed in of the gathered faithful. point in my life where I compatible. I see them law school and before knew what I needed and the last twenty-five Butch is one of the decided to pursue a law both as wonderful op- my children were born, delivered on time, as he years since I first turned greatest men I have ever degree in my last portunities to serve. I spent summers travel- always has. my old car onto Russel- met. Still, I wonder if he months at Circleville. People who find them- ing to preach at camp It has been an adven- lville-Winchester Road. would have even Over the years, many selves in very tough sit- meetings. A bible study ture returning to Brown Decatur and Mount opened the door on that people have asked me uations often turn to held in our home turned County with a wife and Olivet are no longer night if he knew that how I can be both an at- their minister, lawyer, into a fourteen-year ad- three children. We United Methodist only three years later, in torney and a pastor. It and doctor. I don’t do venture serving as the enjoy time on the farm Churches but continue June of 1998, I would seems the point of their well around blood and founding pastor of and the small-town life to share the gospel and marry his daughter and question is, “are these needles, so I will leave Crossroads Community of Sardinia. I get to serve as important parts leave with her to return two careers compati- the third of these profes- Church of Indian Mills, walk my children a cou- of our community. to my native New Jer- ble?” I sometimes point sions to someone else’s New Jersey. Then, I felt ple of blocks each day I have travelled a lot sey. out that many claim the calling. As a former God call my family to Brown County Chris- of different roads since I remember the pre- Apostle Paul, author of prosecutor, I found back to the farm in tian School, sometimes then, and God has now ceding three years liv- a large portion of our many opportunities to Brown County to be preaching a chapel or returned me to Brown ing across from the New Testament, was an speak light, hope, and closer to my wife’s fam- substitute teaching. County to serve and be church in Decatur as attorney - or at least a truth into people’s lives. ily. Having old friends in- part of a community I some of the best of my form of prosecutor for a These times were often It has not been the vite me to share about came to love so long life. Making good portion of his life. Of in one of the worst mo- easiest of transitions, Christ at their churches ago. friends, serving on the course, lawyers two ments of their life.