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Hello St. John’s Family,
This past Sunday was a wonderful morning of worship together! We had the privilege of celebrating the sacrament of baptism – welcoming 3 precious children into our St. John’s family – as we reaffirmed our commitment to Christ with their family and friends. Seeing our hallways full of little ones while hearing their laughter and joy was incredibly uplifting. With most days filled with so many reminders of the violence and fear that mark our world, it was powerful to experience a morning filled with wonder and hope.
Wonder and hope: two things that – at first glance – often seem to be in short supply today. Yet I sense deeper reflection reveals how the perceived lack of wonder and hope has more to do with our focus than with their scarcity. For instance, the wonder and hope revealed in simple, everyday occurrences were themes in some of the hymns we sang on Sunday:
In the bulb there is the flower /in the seed an apple tree
In cocoons, a hidden promise / butterflies will soon be free (Hymn of Promise)
It only takes a spark / to get a fire going
And soon all those around / can warm up in its glowing (Pass It On)
What a wondrous time is spring / when all the trees are budding
The birds begin to sing / the flowers start their blooming (Pass It On)
As we sang those meaningful songs together, it struck me how hope-filled, awe-inspiring events occur on a daily basis. We, though, don’t always pause and focus on them. The reality is we can focus on the pollen that accompanies the wonders of spring and brings about our seasonal allergies… or we can focus on the beauty, wonder, and miraculous new life springing forth around us. We can focus on the uncertainty and troubles that are all too frequent in our world or we can focus on the peace we share in Christ. We can focus on the fear that, from time to time, will inevitably surface in our hearts, or we can focus on the promise that nothing can separate us from the love of God through Christ’s death and resurrection.
I believe this is one of the greatest gifts of Christ’s resurrection: the reality that, through God’s love and grace, the weight of hurt, pain, and loss we experience can be lifted and we can experience anew the wonder and beauty of life. Much like the earliest followers of Jesus, it takes some time for us to comprehend this reality. The hurt and pain of loss typically doesn’t vanish instantaneously; it often diminishes gradually. Yet as we experience and accept the power of God’s love revealed in resurrection, our lives are transformed as hope and wonder emerge. I believe this is what Christ meant when he said I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10).
This Sunday we’ll hear more of Christ’s powerful and hope-filled teaching as we explore John 10:1-10. Reminder: we’ll join together for one combined worship service at 10:30, reflect on what drives our tendency to follow, and see why Christ’s voice is trustworthy. I’m excited to share in another uplifting morning of worship, culminating with new members being received and a luncheon immediately following worship in Fellowship Hall. I hope you’ll join me beginning at 10:30 Sunday morning!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Brad
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