20 Apr Easter People in a Good Friday World
He is risen! He is risen, indeed!
We had a glorious celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, and I trust yours was, too. The sanctuary was beautifully adorned with Easter lilies, spring bulbs in pink, purple and yellow bloom, and white paraments—cloth coverings for the communion table and pulpit. The kids were adorable in their Easter outfits and were sooo excited for the Easter egg hunt after church. The music was “over the top,” as Easter music usually is. But, mostly, what I noticed was the joy. Easter is all about new life, new possibilities and the hope and joy that result. And, who doesn’t need more hope and joy in their lives?
But, Easter is already in the rearview mirror, so now what? Already the exuberance of Sunday has come up against the stark realities that we deal with day in, day out: the chronic pain or illness; the stresses of work—or the stresses of not having work; the relationship that is fraying; pressures of time or finances or family; ongoing grief. Easter can fade surprisingly quickly in the face of our daily struggles and then it seems we are right back to Good Friday all over again. What we need to know is how do we live as Easter people in a Good Friday world?
One way we do that is by serving others. It seems counter-intuitive, but an important part of keeping our Easter joy alive is by giving it away. To that end, this coming Sunday is another Be the Kingdom event at Calvary. We will gather for worship at 10:00 a.m. as usual, but our worship will be serving our community. We have a variety of ways people can choose to serve no matter their age or stage of life:
- singing and visiting with residents of a nursing home
- cleaning and sprucing up a neighborhood park
- preparing 180 sandwiches to be distributed to two homeless shelters
- cleaning an apartment in an affordable housing development, preparing it for its new residents
- sewing “Mended Hearts” pillows that are given to patients after heart surgery
- assembling hygiene kits for distribution to disaster victims
After we finish our service projects, we will reconvene in the fellowship hall for lunch and “debriefing” before we conclude our day with communion. Last Sunday we celebrated Easter. This Sunday we will be Easter people. And, you don’t need to be a “regular” at Calvary to participate. Anyone with a heart to serve their neighbors is welcome to be part of this event. Put on your work clothes and come join us!
Yours for the Kingdom,
Michelle
No Comments