Pastor: David Morelli
Editor: Dave Haugh
Easter was early this year. An early Easter seems to confuse my internal clock. A late Easter seems to work with my secular side of life. The coast during spring break (spring break was during Holy Week), March Madness (NCAA Basketball Tournament), then the Master’s golf tournament and then Easter. The final four is a week after Easter and the Masters is two weeks after Easter this year. And the Kentucky Derby is still five weeks away!
When Easter is in middle or late April I count down the weeks until the warm sunny summer weather, but this year I have to count down the months. Perhaps it is because I associate Easter with leaves on the trees and flowers blooming. I wonder if they are confused. You can see the flowers straining to bloom wondering if it is time to open their colors to the world.
For the Christian year, the time after Easter is the same regardless if it is in March or late April. It is a time to reflect on ways in which we will open ourselves to the world and share the good news we celebrated this Easter day. Christ is risen. As the song goes, “Every Sunday is Easter Sunday from now on.”
The lectionary readings for the next few weeks remind us we are Easter people. John records the hope and the joy of the disciples when they see their Risen Lord. Paul and Peter share the hope of the future church as they approach Pentecost to celebrate the birth of the church.
The Easter season, now to Pentecost, gives us an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be an Easter people in a world that is in need of hope and love and grace. In Yancey’s book, “What’s So Amazing about Grace”, he writes, “grace is the last best word”. The Easter season is a time to understand what it means not only to be the recipients of the God’s grace, but also ambassadors of the God’s grace. Paul writes we should always be ready to profess the hope that is within us.
We are doing many things in the community to show the hope that is within us. The work around the church to show we care about the property God has given us. The generous support of One Great Hour of Sharing, Love, INC, AWARE food bank, and Habitat for Humanity all show we care about all the people in God’s kingdom.
I think that sums up the meaning of Easter. Easter proclaims that God cares about this planet and all its inhabitants. We are asked to do the same.
-Pastor David
Newsletter PDF: Vol. 36, No 4, April 2013