Pondering Easter

​Hey friends!
 
I hope this Lenten season has been enriching for you and that you feel closer to God as a result. What a blessing it is to have an entire season dedicated to reflection, repentance, and reconciliation with our Creator! What a joy it is to know that, when it comes to God, reconciliation is always on the table. Forgiveness and mercy are always at hand. Grace and love are always freely given and ever abundant. How reassuring to be reminded every year that, despite our short comings and missteps, God is love, and we are called beloved. I hope that you, like me, can breathe a sigh of relief and assurance at that knowledge.
 
As we approach the last couple of weeks of Lent, our Holy Week schedule is included in this newsletter. All are welcome to join us for any and all parts of our observance and celebration!
 
In all honesty, I have been wrestling with the meaning of Easter for several years now. Substitutionary atonement no longer sits well with my understanding of and experiences with a loving God, and to say it means the forgiveness of sins just feels too shallow… Like there must be more to it.
 
Each year I come up with enough clarity to write and preach a sermon, and then I am right back to wondering. Which, I believe, is not a bad thing! I believe it is faithful to be curious about our Creator and what God’s story means for us and the world. I believe it is faithful to ponder God’s work and to accept that we will not have all the answers on this side of eternity. Last year, I wrote this:
 
Easter, to me, has become a mystery. I don’t understand Jesus’ resurrection, and I don’t fully know what it all means for us. But I am confident that it offers hope. I am confident it means God is still with us. I am sure it is a declaration of Divine love for all the world. And so, at Easter, I celebrate hope, Emmanuel II, and love, and I embrace the joy and delight that I am so privileged to experience, all while resolving to continue the justice work Jesus started.
 
However we celebrate, and however we understand Easter, may we continue Jesus’ ministry in the days that follow just as we are called to do. May we continue the work of healing, feeding, visiting, and liberating. May we continue to work toward flourishing and beloved community for all. As we follow Jesus, may we be formed more into his likeness.
 
See you in church,
Pastor Julia