Our Quest for Faithful Presence

Dear St Luke’s,

Pastor Dwight is on vacation and so I will riff on some of his previous writing and add a few thoughts of my own.

On Friday night I joined others in the sanctuary for a Holy Friday service. Holy Friday, the day we remember the unjust execution of God in the flesh. God, who loves all of creation so much that God becomes human to show us what life and love can look like. It was a somber service as we remembered how Christ was betrayed and handed over to face his death. I left deep in thought and truly longing for the uplifting of a jubilant Easter Sunday service.

On Sunday, I joined over 120 others in our sanctuary to celebrate the resurrection. We gathered along with our siblings in faith throughout time, from every corner of the earth; in every language and culture; every orientation, ability, gender, color, age, tradition, etc. to celebrate the deepest truth of reality… that God is making all things new. That life is stronger than death. That God is the God of new life, and of hope. Resurrection hope is the kind of hope that is a dare inviting us to move toward the very thing that is most needed not because we know we will succeed as the world thinks about success, but because we know the Holy Spirit is with us and God’s mission is abundant life for all and everything. “Because Christ lives, I face tomorrow.” It was indeed an uplifting Easter Sunday service, complete with a variety of heartwarming music, warm cinnamon rolls and hot coffee, the children’s egg hunt in Pearson Hall, and fellowship with so many who joined us to celebrate the resurrection and be in community. We were thrilled to welcome back many who we have missed. It was truly a delight to see so many familiar faces!

As we move beyond Easter, as we anticipate warming spring weather, blooming flowers and trees and more time spent outside in God’s glorious creation, I want to share the following from the poet Sara Teasdale:

“Life has loveliness to sell…All beautiful and splendid things…”

May you find time to rest in nature’s grace and majesty. And may you be filled with the Spirit that is alive in the St. Luke’s community and find your way to join us again and again!

Peace, Judy Buckmaster