It was wonderful to worship with you and the whole community on Easter Sunday! The weather was glorious, the gatherings joyful, and it seemed like the miraculous blessings of God were all around us, didn’t it?

But now we’re on to the second Sunday of Eastertide. Have those feelings of joy and confidence continued just as strongly for you? Or are there things about your life and world that raise concerns, even doubts, in you mind? Are there things that are worrying you, that you don’t know how you’re going to resolve? We’re back to real life by now, aren’t we?

What sort of faith are we going to carry with us beyond the celebrations of Easter Sunday? What do we do with all of our fears and uncertainties? Let’s hear a story about how even Jesus’ closest companions knew doubt in the days after Easter, and see what we might learn from them. Come join us on Sunday!

With hope,

Hardy

Please join us immediately following the Sunday service for our Coffee Hour

(in-person in Trinity Court or online via Zoom).

“The way to live, to struggle, to struggle for life and to live from the struggle, to live from faith, is to doubt.”

Miguel de Unamuno,

“The Agony of Christianity”

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.