Archive for Spring

Hear the Sounds of the Eternal; Holy Week Appreciations

May you hear the sounds of the eternal in this season of spring, even as we are sheltering in place. 

That your glory rises in the morning sun
and sparkles off flowing waters,
that the glory of the everlasting world
shines in this world
growing from the ground
and issuing forth in every creature,
that glory can be handled, seen and known
in the matter of earth and human relationships
and the most ordinary matters of daily life,
assure us again this day, O God,
assure us again this day.
 
~ by John Philip Newell, excerpt from Sounds of the Eternal: A Celtic Psalter

Holy week and Easter reflections: 
 
It was wonderful to be with so many of you during Holy Week, and Easter, especially this year. My deepest gratitude to each one of you, participating from as far away as Philadelphia, Washington DC, and yes, even Cartagena Colombia! Deepest appreciation for our virtual worship team, of Tom Manley, Ken Medema, Benjamin Mertz, Gabrielle Lochard, for our teamwork and innovation in this transformation process. Special thanks to David Guerra for working with me to create a new virtual worship story time for children. Last week we had 15 families taking part! And deepest thanks to YOU for being with us! 
 
Here are the video services from Holy week as well as previous services.

Here are our online programs – Sunday mornings, Tuesday Bible study, Friday prayer and care.

This Sunday, and for the rest of our shelter in place time, join us as we continue with our uplifting worship services, featuring our extraordinary virtual worship team! 
 

Resurrection “comes in a million different ways…”

Photo by Simon Matzinger on Unsplash

We continue in the season of spring time and in the spirit of Easter, celebrating the promise of new lives for ourselves and for all of creation. This coming Sunday we continue with resurrection and explore the experience of resurrection in our own lives.

Death is universal. We recognize it immediately because it looks the same for all of us.  When it’s over, it’s over.  When a body breathes its last.  When a door closes for good.  When the choice can’t be unmade and the marriage can’t be salvaged and the words can’t be unsaid.  When a home is burned to the ground and the machines are turned off and the pastor sprinkles the dirt over the casket, ashes to ashes. Done. Gone. Finished.   

Death feels heavy, cold and final, 

it tastes like salty tears, 

and sounds like wailing, or the emptiness of a silent house. 

Death is unmistakable. Death is universal.

 

But resurrection? That’s personal.  

And it comes a million different ways and looks like a million different things because it happens for all of us differently.  The way we each need it.

Resurrection is your story now, and mine.  

~Kara Root~