EASTER PEOPLE? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?
I hope and pray that you were able to be with us yesterday as we celebrated the Second Sunday of Easter, beginning our journey of answering the question, "Easter Sunday's come and gone...Now What?" Through re-examining our Lord's encounters with the disciples on the evening of the resurrection and a week later, we discovered that Thomas has been given a bad rap. We were reminded that our Lord's post-resurrection message consisted first of grace and peace.
Yesterday was also a special day because we celebrated the one-year anniversary of Kathy's appointment to North Cross as one of our pastors, recognizing what all God has done in our midst through this willing servant who has chosen to accept God's call to serve in the licensed ministry of The United Methodist Church. Looking back over the past year, it is evident to anyone who has regularly participated in our ministries that we have been blessed beyond belief by her selfless ministry.
Yesterday also was a time where some of our youth went to participate in the Kairos Outside ministry that you have heard Erin and Kathy speak about during worship, a ministry that is designed for women who have loved ones (spouses, siblings, parents, children who are incarcerated. The picture above shows a group from our church who were selfless enough to give us a Sunday afternoon to assist those that much of society has forgotten about.
Moving into this second post-resurrection week of our congregation's life, we must ask ourselves, individually and as a congregation, if Easter still matters to us. Do we live as people of the resurrection, who are totally dependent on God as the source of life and all that we need to live, or do we look at God as an errand boy and a scapegoat? Is Easter simple a 'one-off' historical occurrence, or do we draw comfort and inspiration from the one who showed that, in the end, death has no power over those who choose to follow God through Christ completely, by the power of the Holy Spirit?
Make no mistake about it, dear friends. Christ is not done yet. Easter is not a past-tense subject, but a present reality that commands all that we have and all that we are for the glory of God.
It's because of God's grace through the resurrection that we can gather for worship and have such a meaningful encounter with our Creator and each other as we did yesterday morning. It is because of God's grace through the resurrection that we have so graciously been blessed with special people such as our dear friend Kathy with whom to share seasons of life. It is because of God's grace through the resurrection we have the willingness to go burn a Sunday afternoon helping those whom society has forgotten experience a touch of God's grace.
Come join in our congregation's life - we are busy trying to faithfully live out the joy of the resurrection through our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. I promise you that whether on Wednesday nights through our fellowship and study, on Sunday mornings during the personal and communal growth through Sunday School, coming together to encounter the risen Lord through all the facets of worship, engaging in service and mission projects at other times, or simply immersing ourselves in this wonderful community of faith that God has called us to as part of our journey to the day he comes again in glory, you will be blessed not because of our efforts, but because of God's faithfulness through all whom are sharing our journey though North Cross.
He is Risen. Alleluia!
Grace and Peace, Lamar