Brothers
and Sisters,
As
we go to press with the April Newsletter, the pure Joy and Victory of our
Lord’s resurrection from the grave, is soon to be known to the world. Easter
comes a little early this year, due to “Leap Year”. Yet, be it’s dawning in
late March or early April, Easter morning is still a day that speaks powerfully
to the “faith”, heart and very Soul of our Christian identity and community.
Having
just concluded a beautiful Palm Sunday service, and a week of Bible study and
“reflection”. Now, as we turn our hearts and spirits to the Joy of Easter
morning. May we all be reminded of a quote from a Pastor from my Baptist &
A.M.E youth. Dr Howard, from Mt Enon Baptist Church, in Dayton, Ohio. Back in
my childhood, I recall him always saying during Passion/Holy Week. “Alright folks, please know, you can’t have
the joy of Easter morning without the pain, blood and agony of Holy week, and
the Cross of Golgotha! Amen, Dr. Howard. May we all remember and keep close in
our hearts and minds, the cost and consequences of Christ’s “Bloody sacrifice”,
there on the cross, for yours, mine and all of humanities sin, error and
failure to follow God the Father’s “will and way”, in our lives. As we the
church, walk alongside Christ during Holy Week, may we all take some
“intentional” time aside from our daily duties. To pause reflect upon, then
consciously study and meditate on the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and death
during Holy Week. In this year’s
Lectionary cycle, we will hear on Easter Morning the beautiful words of St John
the Evangelist, from the Gospel of John.
There
on Easter Morning, I will once again “intone” at the beginning of the Sermon,
and then at its summation, this ancient Easter affirmation, proclamation: “The Lord is risen. The Lord is Risen,
Indeed!” Brothers and Sisters, I pray you all will join us for worship and
Bible study in the weeks that lie ahead.
God knows, it has been a challenging year in Seattle. Yet by faith, hope
and trust, God and Christ, along with power of the Holy Spirit, has pulled us
through!
I
look forward to seeing you all in church or in our “Zoom Room” this coming
Easter morning. If the Easter story
tells and teaches humanity “one thing”, it is this. Our Lord lives, and “he” who conquered the
grave, by faith in his holy name, gives us, his people the toughness and
resiliency to battle back from any and all afflictions and worldly events, that
can cause people like us, to lose heart and faith in God! Keep the faith my people, and always
remember. Our God lives. Death has been
defeated. The Stone’s been rolled away.
The Lord is Risen. The Lord is
Risen Indeed! Amen, Amen, Amen! Pastor Jeff
P.S.
Please read on your own, the Easter narrative, written by St. John the
Evangelist. John Ch. 20:1-18.
