Pastor’s Message


 “Every day to us is Easter, with its resurrection song.  When in trouble, move the faster to our God who rights the wrong.  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  See the power of heavenly throngs.”
(Easter People, Raise Your Voices, UMH # 304, words by William James)

The season of Lent is one of waiting and preparing.  It is marked by practices like fasting.  This season with its accompanying spiritual practices are meant to prepare us for the celebration of the resurrection; to get us ready to receive the good news that comes on Easter.

This Lent we have been waiting in a very different way and fasting more than usual.   We may or may not be refraining from certain foods, but we have been fasting from contact, from hugs, from handshakes and other forms of healthy touch.  We have been fasting from gathering together and from being physically present to one another.  We have been fasting from a number of our usual activities; activities that are important to us.  It has been and continues to be a hard fast.  But in order to stay healthy and safe and to best care for each other, we will continue to observe this fast for the rest of Lent and beyond Lent for a time.

Just as traditional practices of fasting are meant to prepare us for the celebration of Easter, these other experiences of fasting will prepare us for an experience of resurrection in the days ahead.  While it is disappointing that our celebration on April 12th will not be like it usually is, as the hymn above reminds us, experiences of resurrection are not reserved for only one, particular day of the year.  We will have time to celebrate in the days ahead.  Until then, we continue to wait, to ponder, to learn, to pray, to trust and to fast – trusting that all these things are preparing us for a wonderful experience of new life, growth, freedom, health and joy in the days ahead.

God Bless you all this Holy Season,

Pastor John