Today we come to the climax of our Lenten observances as we remember the crucifixion of Jesus. We gather around the cross to remember God's act of sacrificial love. At the cross we are reminded that there is nothing in our human experience from which God is absent. At the cross, we recognize the lengths to which God will go to be with God's beloved children. We will hear the Passion read, have the opportunity to reverence the cross, and leave in silence, awaiting a new day.