In The In-Between

On Sunday afternoon, the UConn Women’s Basketball team won their 12th national title—an incredible achievement, especially for a program already known for excellence. Their star player is expected to be the #1 pick in the WNBA Draft later this month, with preseason games beginning just days after that.

As I listened to the commentators, I was struck by how quickly things move for these athletes. One moment they’re celebrating a championship, and the next, they’re stepping into a brand-new challenge with high expectations and barely a moment to catch their breath.
 

It’s a powerful reminder that life rarely offers us neat, separated seasons. More often than not, celebration and pressure, joy and responsibility, show up all at once.
 

That made me pause and think about how hard it is to hold all of that at the same time. Honestly, I’m not always great at it. I like clarity. I like resolution. A tidy beginning, middle, and end. But life doesn’t usually follow that script.
 

And neither does Holy Week.
 

It invites us to stay present in the in-between—to walk with Jesus through the shouts of the crowd and the silence of the garden, the breaking of bread and the breaking of hearts.
 

Maybe you’ve felt that tension lately. Joy in one hand, sorrow in the other. Grief wrapped in gratitude. The ache of waiting beside the hope of what’s to come.
 

The good news is that Jesus doesn’t ask us to figure it all out. He doesn’t expect us to get our emotions in check or have all the answers. He simply invites us to come and go with him. To show up and stay present in the in-between.
 

I hope you’ll walk with us this Sunday as we wave the palms—and keep walking with us through the rest of the story. Join us for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, so that we can show up together on Easter morning, ready to receive the good news we’ve been waiting for.

With Gratitude,

Rodney

Rodney Whitfield
Senior Pastor
Aldersgate UMC