is a well-loved church, and it shows. The Spirit imbues this space, in
its tall tall ceilings, its radiant stained glass windows, in its solid,
magnificent altar, pulpit, and lectern. All the candles were lit, the
paraments were glowing white, and the cross - - - thank GOD the cross was
finally empty. Empty of the purple drape that half-covered it all during
Lent and empty of the black cloth that hung on it from Good Friday till
the Easter vigil. The flowers scented everything, the lilies especially.
There were flowers in a cross-shape built specially for Easter. There
were flowers all surrounding the altar, there were flowers by the
baptismal font. How glorious it all was! I don't know another beauty
like it, and there are many, many beautiful things in this world. This
beauty is God-touched. And the music! We sang our hearts out,
accompanied by brass and bells, timpani and organ. Glorious, grand music
so fitting for this most precious of occasions!
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Hallelujah!
It seems to me that I have known these precious words all my life long.
Perhaps I learned them from Pastor Hawkins back in the 50's, do you think?
When did you learn them? They're a part of us, aren't they? And not
only the words, but the belief, the faith behind them! Our Lord Jesus
Christ loved us so MUCH that He
went with those Roman soldiers, partook in that awful so-called trial,
submitted to their beatings, and dragged the cross given Him to Golgotha.
Nailed to that cross, He hung there for three hours and then died. Our
Lord died! His friend Joseph of Arimathea came and took his body to
Joseph's own tomb, anointed His body with oil, wrapped Him in swaddling
cloths, and left Him. And what happened? Mary came. Mary came back,
still weeping the loss of her Lord and Saviour. What did she find? That
huge stone covering the cave entrance rolled away and the cloths left
behind. No body of Jesus. No Jesus at all. How terrifying! What did
she think? I wonder if she thought that maybe someone had taken Jesus'
body. But why? And where?
And then, a young man sitting at the side told her that Jesus had arisen
and gone ahead of her to Galilee; go and tell the others.
And Jesus appeared twice more to His earthly friends before ascending into
Heaven.
This is the very essence of our faith, isn't it, this story? We believe
that Jesus died for us, for our sins, out of sheer love for us, God's
children, and that we are saved by grace through faith and will one day be
called to live in the Heavenly Kingdom with God the Creator of the
Universe, His Son Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit, one God, world
without end.
How deeply, profoundly blessed we are. We shout it again: Christ is
risen! Christ is risen indeed! Hallelujah!
Judy Bergeson
Diaconal Minister
COMING UP AT SALEM:
New Member dinner 5 PM Sunday, May 1st – served by Salem's Council
Love in the Name of Christ's Annual Banquet 6 PM Sunday, May 1st – St.
Mary's Fellowship Hall in Sycamore
Saturday, May 14: WALK to benefit the Children's Advocacy Center. This
is a child abuse and awareness event and fundraiser. Walk! Sponsor a
walker! Register at Good Thymes Shelter off Airport Rd. at Sycamore Park
at 8:30 AM.
Pray often!
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