Hello Hopefuls!
Wow.
I am reflecting on our extraordinary Easter Sunday worship and experience at Hope a few days ago and that is the best word I can come up with at the moment when I think about it. What a wonderful day of faith formation, worship, fellowship, and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst!
I am so filled with gratitude to have been present and a part of what God was doing on Sunday. As you know, it takes a lot of work to be ready for a day like Easter Sunday in the Church. I am so grateful to all of you for how warm and welcoming you were and made folks feel as they joined us. Bravo!
Easter Sunday is one of those moments where many people are open to attending a worship service when they may not otherwise be at other times of the year. In that respect, there is great opportunity for congregations to put their best foot forward and demonstrate genuine care and welcome to people. People’s perception of the Church and whether or not they might want to continue to engage with it can hang in the balance on a day like Easter.
Together, we work to create a space and time for people to encounter the living God in a powerful way. That is what we do each week. Sunday was no different. Yet, we must be careful not to think that our work produces the presence of God somehow or the transformation in people’s lives. No, the Holy Spirit does its work according to God’s purpose. We merely set the stage for an encounter between God and people and the Holy Spirit will do what it will do.
And so, I am grateful for the work of all our committees at Hope to prepare for Easter and set the stage for a powerful encounter with the living God. A few to note are: our Building and Grounds committee for their work on the parking lot and grounds to make our space look great; our Fellowship Committee for their hospitality; Our Communications Committee for the wonderful photo booth that provided a great spot for folks to mark the day with pictures; and our Faith Formation committees for providing wonderful faith formation that morning. Well done!
I was so grateful for the work of the Holy Spirit among all who gathered. We will not know the full extent of how God met and connected with people on Sunday, and that is okay. We trust that people encounter God in a powerful way every time we gather.
Thank you again SO MUCH for all of you and how you helped make Easter a wonderful experience for so many. I am honored to worship and serve alongside you. I look forward to our next series God On Film which kicks off this Sunday! Invite folks back to join us and let’s keep rolling! Bless you!
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