St. Edward's Alleluia Booklet

We tend to do Lent really well.
 

Liturgically, we add penitential rites and language moving us into reflection and repentance. We give things up, we take things on, we open our hearts to the Spirit in our midst. Many people who might not darken the door on a Wednesday night at other times of the year show up faithfully for weekly classes on scripture or a timely book.
 

Then Easter Day arrives.
 

We celebrate with joy, the church is full, and by the end of the day clergy and lay leaders leading services everywhere throw up their arms and proclaim, “Christ is risen, and I am dead.” In the space of a single, glorious hour, all our Lenten and Holy Week efforts come to a sudden end. At St. Edward’s this year, we are trying to change that. 

Several years ago, the Rev. Howard Anderson began a tradition at St. Paul’s, Duluth called the Alleluia Booklet. It was inspired by the story of Francis of Assisi, who passed by a broken down, closed church and heard God’s voice say, “Francis, rebuild my Church.”
 

Now, like Francis, we at St. Ed’s are working hard at telling the stories of how God has spoken to us.
 

I, along with parishioner Kate M., have asked members and friends of St. Ed’s to share stories of alleluias and resurrection from their own lives. Moments when they have seen, heard or felt God in their lives. These stories are not meant to be monumental transformational epiphanies similar to so many in our Scriptures, but rather, simple stories of everyday encounters with God through Jesus, through the Spirit, through love, grace, and surprise.
 

Our goal is to collect 50 of these stories and organize them into a small devotional booklet, imagine something like Forward Day by Day, just a bit larger. Each day of the Easter season, alongside a brief scripture reference, a story from a parishioner or friend of St. Edward’s will be read as a reminder that God is active among us. A reminder that Easter is not just one day; it is fifty days of feasting, joy, and spiritual abundance.
 

As part of this practice, we are inviting participants to set aside $1 per day during Easter. At the end of the season, those funds, $50 (or more) will be donated to one of our local partners in the Orono, Wayzata, and Plymouth area: Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners (IOCP). We are still gathering stories. If you have a story of God’s presence that you would be willing to share, we would love to receive it. Stories should be fewer than 200 words, and we reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Please send submissions to:
 

The Rev. Aron Kramer
revaronkramer@stedwards-mn.org

God is deeply and beautifully active throughout the Diocese of Minnesota. At St. Edward’s, we are trying to tell that story so our Lenten disciplines might carry us fully into Easter joy, generosity, and celebration.