We will begin this Sunday not in the Sanctuary, but in the parking lot—and in our hands will be palm branches.

If you know the Hanukkah story, you know that when the Maccabees recaptured the Temple from the Syrians, palm branches were waved to declare military victory. Since that time, both Jews and Greeks have used palm branches to declare liberation and triumph against foes.

You’ll remember Jesus asked to look at a coin before saying the indelible words, “Give to Caesar that which is Caesar's, and to God that which is God’s.” Behind the face of Caesar upon the coin were palm branches. Why? Because Caesar was a conquering, ruling sovereign. By the waving of palm branches, Jesus rides into Jeruselm on Holy Week recognized as the true King.

We live in the shadow of a false kingdom, one over which Satan rules and we suffer. On Sunday, we will remind ourselves of the good news that Satan's kingdom has been defeated and is in the process of collapsing, while Jesus' is here in part and is coming in full. Neither sin, death, nor the devil will have the last word.

Long Live The King!

The next three Sundays—Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday, and Baptism Sunday—are likely to be especially full at All Saints as we welcome many visiting guests. To help us be hospitable and make room for newcomers, we kindly ask our regular attenders to consider parking in the overflow lot across the street on Cadiz. We've reserved extra spaces there specifically for these Sundays. Our main parking lot is typically most crowded during the transition between the 9:30 and 11:00 am services, so if you arrive and find no available spots, please head to the Cadiz lot. Thank you for helping us extend a warm welcome to all!