We have a wonderful Holy Week and Easter Sunday planned! Be sure and invite your friends and neighbors to any of our three Easter celebrations. (Perhaps you should befriend some new people and invite them too!) The Sunrise service features special music and drama. We will celebrate Holy Communion at both the traditional and contemporary services. Remember to bring flowers for the resurrection cross!
And don't forget to invite everyone to join us for breakfast on Sunday!
The scripture for the sunrise service will come from the gospel of Matthew. For the other two services, we will hear the Easter story as told by Luke:
24But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they went in, they did not find the body. 4While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. 6Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again." 8Then they remembered his words, 9and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened. Luke 24:1-12
· Have you ever shared news so good that no one believed you?
o How did that feel?
o How did you get them to believe you?
· In first century Palestine, women were not considered reputable witnesses. Why do you think God chose to reveal the resurrection to the women first?
o What lesson can we learn from God's unusual choice of witnesses?
· Why do you believe the resurrection of Jesus is the central event of the Christian faith?
o What difference does it make to your life?
o How would you share its importance with a non-Christian?
o What would you say if they asked you what difference the resurrection of Jesus Christ makes to your life now?
I missed worshipping with you on Sunday. But I greatly appreciate your prayers as we grieved the loss of my grandfather. Thank you for your concern.
See you as we journey toward the cross on Thursday and Friday and then as we celebrate the Risen Christ on Easter Sunday!
Pastor Sherill
