Thursday, April 2, 2026

Good Friday and Easter Schedule

Good Friday

noon

Easter Sunday

8:00 am & 10:00 am

APRIL CELEBRATIONS

Birthdays

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Sunday Service

Sunday Sermon

If you would like to read Rev. Dave's recent sermon,

please click the link below:

Sermon: Who is He? What is the Meaning of this Palm Sunday?

PRAYERS

We Pray for our People

Bring the healing of your touch to all those who suffer in body or spirit, especially Downs IV, Holden, Barbara, Caitlin, Victoria, Alice, Annette, Charles, Anne, Ellie, Patricia, Bob, Agie, Eric, Amy, Trude, Donna, Beverly, Carling, Carol, Rafaela and Ed. For those going through cancer treatments, and in remission, especially, Downs III, Lauren, Nancy, Shannon, Frank, Carmen, Zachary, Claudia, Will, Pete, Cara, Jennifer, Lauren, Melinda, Lindsay, Melissa, Kelly, Davidson, and Kelsey.

A BRIDGE BETWEEN ALEX AND DAVE

Podcast: A Bridge Between

Episode 171:Offered For Us and For All

(Good Friday, April 3rd, 2026)

Episode 172:Why Do You Seek the Living Among the Dead?

(Easter Sunday. April 5, 2026)



Also available on Spotify:

Spotify: A Bridge Between

PARISH ACTIVITIES

America is Turning 250!

Join Interfaith 250 on Saturday, April 18th. 

8:30 am, Adopt-a-Highway clean-up on Gulf of Mexico Drive. 

9:30 am, Interfaith Breakfast & Fellowship at Temple Beth Israel 

10:00 am, Interfaith Breakfast & Fellowship.

Celebrating American freedom with sacred texts, prayers and reflections on the red, white and blue.  

Sign up and get an All Angels t-shirt.

Art Gallery

Christine Hales is our Gallery Artist through April. Come see her wonderful Icons exhibit Making Past Present: Icons as Windows into Eternity. 

Discussion Groups

Men's Discussion Group - Tuesdays at 10:00am

Women's Discussion Group - Wednesdays at 10:00am

There is a lot of anxiety going around these days. So much so that it is the theme of the Easter message (this coming Sunday - Do not be afraid). I've had a request to bring it up at the discussion group too. 

Thankfully an article landed in my inbox from Christianity Today. The author believes we are misreading Scripture if we think God is commanding us not to worry. It's not a command, it's a reassurance. (Besides, yelling at someone to stop worrying never solves anxiety.) I'd like to know what you think. 

We are back to our normal schedule of the Tuesday Men's Group and the Wednesday Women's Group. 

For those in person, I'll have the coffee ready. For those online, here is the Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/5955701807

To read the article, click the link below:

Stop Being Anxious About Your Anxiety

Choir News

Regular Choir Rehearsals are on Thursday mornings at 10 am.

New members are ALWAYS welcomed!

Coffee Hour Hosts Needed

One of the most important things we do is gather after the service for coffee hour. If you are interested in hosting, the sign up sheet is on the Gallery table. If you would like help, sign up and we will find someone to show you how it is done. 

Online Giving

If you would like to give to the offering plate electronically, you can find the online giving link on our All Angels website by clicking the link below:

AllAngelsLBK.org

Centering Prayer

Centering Prayer invites you to pray with them, every day, at 8 am, wherever you are. When you enter into prayer at 8 am (Eastern), you will know that others are praying at the same time. 

REFLECTION

Anyone or Everyone?

A couple of weeks ago I wrote to you about the Committal service (when we place the ashes of a loved one into the ground) that begins with these words:

Everyone the Father gives to me will come to me;

I will never turn away anyone who believes in me.

Based on what I wrote, I was asked, “Is ‘everyone the Father gives me’ the same as ‘everybody will come to me’”? This is a wonderful question. I’d like to explore it with you.

The words of the Committal are taken from chapter six of John’s Gospel. The chapter starts with an uncountable number of people following Jesus; he feeds them; he walks on water; the crowd catches up to him and he says, “I am the bread of life. … Everyone the Father gives me will come to me and anyone who comes to me I will never drive away.” The chapter ends with thousands of people leaving him (because he said, “You must eat of my flesh and drink of my blood”). Only Peter and the twelve remain. Jesus looked at them and asked if they will leave too. Peter responded: “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

I think the context helps to understand the passage. Thousands of people were interested in Jesus. Wait, let me clarify that; thousands of people wanted to see what Jesus could do – miracles, healings and signs. When it came time to believe and follow him, they turned away. He invited them from being spectators to become participants. And, as aforementioned, they walked away.  It might be easier nowadays to believe in Jesus because we don’t have the expectation of witnessing miracles. But back then they wanted to see the magic (for lack of a better term).

In the first few years that followed the crucifixion and resurrection, the movement of Jesus the Christ was called The Way because it was a way of life, a way of following Him who rose for us, and a way of participating in God’s grace and love.

Jesus knew what was in the hearts of the multitudes – they wanted to see a show. In contrast, he wanted true disciples who would follow him along The Way. Yet, he did not say to them, “I cast you away because you are not interested in following the way of life I am teaching.” Jesus taught them (he taught everyone) and they self-selected. Everyone and anyone who came to Jesus was invited along The Way. Not everyone followed.

When the crowd caught up to Jesus (after he walked on water), they asked him this question: “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus responded plainly, “This is the work [singular] of God: that you believe in him whom He sent.” In other words, it’s not many “works” that need to be done, it is one work: to believe. In the New Testament, faith and belief are action verbs – not thinking verbs. This means you can think plenty of doubts. There are many examples of when Jesus drew near to those who doubted. So, we can think doubts; but we act in faith.

Jesus said: “This is my Father’s will: that all who see the Son and believe in him will have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:40) Anyone and everyone can think doubts but to believe is to step forward in faith; anyone and everyone who has faith will come to Him. He will never, ever turn anyone who steps forward in faith. He will raise them up on the last day. 

- Fr. Dave