A Word From Our Pastor
Eastertide is such an encouraging season. Throughout this 50-day season, that includes all of May, we are reminded of the renewal that after a period of darkness and defeat. We all periodically encounter setbacks that bring sadness and frustration, but the Easter Season reminds us that there is an end to misery. Death and destruction have been defeated, and the promise of a day of peace will eventually come.
We are called to experience the same hope and joy that inspired the earliest church communities two millennia ago. Despite the persecutions and injustices they endured, these early followers of the way of Christ were inspired to share their faith and love with each other forge ahead. Some thought the world around them would quickly change shortly after Jesus's resurrection, but that didn't happen.
When that first generation of followers started to pass away, there were doubts and questions about what exactly happened to Jesus. Where was he, and why wasn't the rest of the world changing in the ways they expected?
Despite these challenges, the faith persisted. Why did this happen? People discovered that Christ was present and the world was changing, but not in the ways they anticipated. Christ showed up in personal encounters. The changes people hoped for were starting to take place in the world because of the changes within their hearts and minds. The world was changing as a consequence of how these followers went out into the world after their encounters with Christ.
As we journey through the Eastertide, I hope each of us experiences Christ in a new and impactful way. May we continue to be inspired by the love of Christ; to change the world with an eye towards peace, love, and compassion. May we continue to fight the injustices that perpetuate food, housing, and healthcare insecurities. May we seek the fair treatment of all people regardless of their race, nationality, gender or sexuality; and may we learn how to establish societal systems that facilitate peaceful cooperation with each other and the rest of creation rather than conquest.
Christ has risen, he has risen indeed! May we experience the grace of Christ this Easter season, in ways that inspire us to make the world a better place for everyone.
Peace and blessings,
Pastor Mike