Death...and LIFE

We've just walked through the journey of Holy Week, moved from death to life. The journey was pretty amazing here... Above is a picture of what Good Friday evening looked like.

Our church shared the Holy Week journey (Maundy Thursday and Good Friday worship) with three other churches: another UMC, a Baptist (Cooperative Fellowship) congregation, and a PCUSA church. The four ministers led the services, and a combined 80-voice choir sang at each one. These two were the last of a series of four services, which also included Ash Wednesday.

We also shared the Lenten journey with four other UMC's, joining together with them each Sunday evening of the first 5 weeks of Lent. This brought together United Methodists of all backgrounds and several ethnic groups.

These services that have brought together followers of Jesus from many different groups were a tremendous source of joy, hope, and life for me throughout the wilderness journey of the 40 days of Lenten fasting....but now

Easter has come!!

This 50 days is about LIFE...NEW LIFE!

To the end that we might experience the power of Jesus' resurrection as a church family, I am looking forward to two things:

1. Dr. Kennon Callahan, author of Twelve Keys to an Effective Church WILL BE COMING TO HELP OUR CHURCH DISCERN GOD'S VISION FOR OUR FUTURE. He will be here on Saturday, May 16, and I hope that our church family will be as excited as I am that we are going to be able to glean from his wisdom and experience as we seek God's guidance for the church's LIFE in the future.

2. WE ARE GOING TO START A NEW WORSHIP EXPERIENCE! Look for details in a post to come very soon. The date to begin this source of new life is June 9 (and yes, that's a Tuesday).

In summary, I want to thank the Church Council of my congregation for their "leap of faith" in the two areas mentioned above. And I'd like to invite all of you readers to be in prayer for our church family as we undertake this new ventures. Please pray with me that they will indeed be signs, symbols, and means of God's power of resurrection here in this place!