San Francisco Ballet They play with the setting, but I think that it's the most beautiful version I've seen. The sets and costumes are amazing, and I love the girl who dances as the Sugar Plum Fairy.

At the Lamb's high feast we sing Praise to our victorious King, Who has washed us in the tide Flowing from His pierced side. Alleluia! Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed, Paschal victim, paschal bread; With sincerity and love Eat we manna from above. Alleluia! Easter triumph, Easter joy! This alone can sin destroy; From sins's pow'r, Lord set us free, Newborn souls in You to be. Alleluia! Father, who the crown shall give, Savior, by whose death we live, Spirit guide through all our days: Three in One, Your name we praise. Alleluia! Lutheran Service Book #633

“What is happening? Today there is a great silence over the earth, a great silence, and stillness, a great silence because the King sleeps; the earth was in terror and was still, because God slept in the flesh and raised up those who were sleeping from the ages. God has died in the flesh, and the underworld has trembled. Truly he goes to seek out our first parent like a lost sheep; he wishes to visit those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. He goes to free the prisoner Adam and his fellow-prisoner Eve from their pains, he who is God, and Adam’s son. The Lord goes in to them holding his victorious weapon, his cross. When Adam, the first created man, sees him, he strikes his breast in terror and calls out to all: ‘My Lord be with you all.’ And Christ in reply says to Adam: ‘And with your spirit.’ And grasping his hand he raises him up, saying, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. ‘I am your God, who for your sake became your son, who for you and your descendants now speak and command with authority those in prison: Come forth, and those in darkness: Have light, and those who sleep: Rise.’ ‘I command you: Awake, sleeper, I have not made you to be held a prisoner in the underworld. Arise from the dead; I am the life of the dead. Arise, O man, work of my hands, arise, you who were fashioned in my image. Rise, let us go hence; for you in me and I in you, together we are one undivided person.’†(quoted in For All the Saints, vol. III, p. 1037)

Beautiful words! Holy Saturday is my second favorite day of the church year...I'm very much looking forward to Easter Vigil tonight!

I'm so glad to hear your experience with DCEs has been positive! I think there's a prevalent idea right now that you have to do something shocking to be relevant and to get youth into church...and shocking can often cross over into inappropriate. Unfortunately, some of our LC-MS DCEs buy into that idea, because they're trying to mimic "successful" events at other churches. Maybe it would be more helpful to remember that Word and Sacrament is what draws people to the church, not the shock factor!

I agree with Carol in Cal. I really *want* to say that isn't typical of DCEs, as that's what I was before children. Unfortunately, I'm not entirely surprised to hear that you've had such an experience--a lot of youth workers just don't seem to realize when they're crossing a line. The Luther movie is a much better option for youth!

In the metro area ever since we got married. And I think it will be fun, too...then again, my Mother's Day present is also a Cards game, so I may not be a good judge of that! :001_smile:

LC-MS here, also, and that would never fly in our congregation (my six and eight year olds just finished their first year of catechesis). I really suppose it depends on your individual church and pastor, but I think that corporate learning is an important part of the process.

Another Cardinals fan, here! We'll be spending our 10th anniversary at Busch Stadium...is that sad? ;)

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I care.:blushing: I've been watching One Life to Live off and on ever since my first child was born, eight years ago. It's my one TV-related vice. I feel sorry for all the people that will be losing their jobs...and not just those on or working for the shows. I would assume that soap magazines, and Soap Network, to name a couple, will also suffer fallout. It's just sad news.

I'll say hi! I don't post because I'm too shy, and because I'm not sure I have anything to offer, but I read everything, and have I ever learned a lot here! Back to lurking, now (but I'm not up to anything nefarious, I promise!) ;)

You might find Ordering Our Days in His Peace helpful, as it addresses the liturgical year from a Lutheran perspective.