Dear Evergreen Family,
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each tells the Easter story in a slightly different way. Each of the four gospels brings something to the table that accents the overall story in a special way. In Matthew, the risen Jesus tells his followers to “go into all the world and make disciples.” In Mark, there’s a big focus on the empty tomb. In Luke, the resurrected Christ walks the road to Emmaus with his disciples incognito. In John, Jesus appears to Doubting Thomas.
One thing that binds these accounts together is the message that in the resurrection something radically new has begun. This event marked the end of everything before and the beginning of everything after. Many have said that when Jesus was raised from the dead, Christianity had its start. The day of the week says it all. Jesus was raised on the “eighth” day of the week, the day of new beginnings. Easter means that for you and me, God is working to make all things new. No matter how you need to be made new, God is moving—and God will win.
This Easter at Evergreen is a day of new beginnings. You may recall that last year, everything shut down right before Easter. There was no Easter at Evergreen in 2020. It’s been a long year, a very long year. Maybe we’ve come to accept our “new normal.” Still, God calls the Body of Christ to come together so that the love of God and neighbor may grow in us. There is a permanent “gravitational pull” for us to be together to worship God. It’s good for us. I don’t want anyone to come back before they’re ready; however, maybe this Easter you are ready. If you are, I invite you to hear God’s call and join us this Sunday at either 9:00 a.m. (outdoors) or 10:00 a.m. (indoors). Maybe this is a day of new beginnings in more ways than one.
On Sunday, please bring a flower with you. Our “flowering cross” will be right outside the church, and all our flowers will come together to form a tangible sign of new beginnings. I can’t wait to see it. Bring bread and juice with you. Holy Communion always has a way of making us new. At our 9:00 a.m. outdoor service, there’s always plenty of room for children to “not sit still,” and this Sunday we celebrate with a children’s story and Easter egg hunt (register here) in addition to the music, message, and Holy Communion. Signs of life. Signs of new beginnings. It is Easter. Thanks be to God.
May God bless us all.
Your Fellow Minister in Christ,
Mark