March 21, 2005

Dear Parents:

I am writing to you about Good Friday. I was disheartened to hear that the Sandwich School Committee voted, just a few days before this Good Friday, to open schools on that day.

I recommend that you get a note to your childs school, or follow other appropriate procedure, to take the day off from school as a religious observance day. Indeed, Father Rodney and myself hope that every Christian family will use this provision. We know that the school administrators fully anticipate many empty seats.

We also recommend that all teachers, administrators, and support staff take the day for religious reasons.

We did not ask for this, but it has been presented to all of us as an opportunity to express our identity. Even if your family does not plan on coming to church that day, you can use this day in time-honored ways for quiet and reflection, especially during the hours of 12 noon to 3 pm.

If you or your children can come to church, we have this schedule a set of gatherings where you can express your faith in the Crucified Lord:

9:00 am Morning Prayer.

12 Noon Prayer Service with children outdoors if weather allows. For half of

this hour, all students (K through grade 8) will meet in separate rooms (by grade level) for discussion of Good Friday.

1:00 pm Children are invited to assist in chalk drawing the church plaza for Easter; high school students are invited to supervise the younger children, and then join in some young adult reflections on the day (until 2:00 pm).

3:00 pm Stations of the Cross (Not the main service of the day, with no veneration of the cross, no communion; this is a brief devotion to mark this holy hour).

7:00 pm CELEBRATION OF THE LORDS PASSION (Main service of the day, with veneration of cross, communion).

It is truly unfortunate that our elected school committee took this step to reach the 180

days. United, we who form the largest Christian community in town can show them

why it has been a day off in the past, and why it should ever be so. We do not

recommend this action with ill will, but with confident trust that all families will make

the best decision for their lives and for the common good.

May the Lord bless you!

Fr. Marcel Bouchard,

Pastor