As I shared in my sermon this past Sunday, this is where God begins with
us. Peace. For our relationship with God begins
with what God has done for us. While we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us. If you are holding on to your bitterness,
anger, frustration, hurt? Jesus says, “I let go of that a
long time ago.” So EXHALE – let it out! Release! Receive God's peace.
Pastor Thomas Long shares this story:
I was invited by a church in
a nearby town to be the worship leader at a special evening communion service.
The church staff had planned this service to be educational as well as
worshipful. The idea was that, first, the congregation would gather in the
sanctuary and I would give a brief talk about the meanings of the Lord's
Supper. Then, we would go into the fellowship hall and be seated around tables
for the service itself.
At each table there would be
the flour and other ingredients to form the dough for the communion loaves. The
plan called for each table to prepare a loaf and, while the loaves baked in the
ovens of the church kitchen, the people at each table were to engage in various
exercises designed to get them talking about their experiences in the faith.
It was a good idea, but like
many well-planned events, things looked better on the drawing board than they
turned out in reality. There were problems. Children at many tables began to
play in the baking ingredients, and white clouds of flour floated around the
room coating everybody and everything. There were delays in the kitchen, and
the communion bread baked with agonizing slowness. Some of the tables ran out
of things to say; children grew weary and fussy; the room was filled with
commotion and restlessness. The planners had dreamed of an event of excitement,
innovation, peak learning, and moving worship. What happened was noise,
exhaustion, and people making the best of a difficult situation. In other
words, despite the rosy plans, it was the real church worshipping down there in
the church basement.
Finally, the service ended,
and, with no little relief, I was able to pronounce the benediction. "The
peace of Christ be with you all," I said, and just as I did, a child's
voice from somewhere in the room called out strong and true, "It already
is."
Just that -- "It already
is" -- but with those words the service was transformed into an event of
joy and holy mystery. That small voice captured what the Gospel of John is
trying to say. In the midst of a church that can claim nothing for itself, a
church of noise, confusion, weariness, and even fear, the risen Christ comes to
give peace. The peace of Christ be with you? Because the risen Christ comes to
inhabit our empty places, then, as the child said, "It already is,"
and the church with nothing becomes the church with everything. (Thomas G. Long, Whispering
The Lyrics, CSS Publishing)
One more thing -
I included this Easter greeting in the sermon as well - it is from our Presiding Bishop, Elizabeth Eaton.
Peace,
Pastor Charlie
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