Rejoicing in Jesus’
Resurrection and
Renewal of Spring!
It’s been sunny and beautiful in the Atlantic community for many days. It’s so good for my mood. My daffodils, forsythia, and hyacinths are in full bloom. My quince is laden with coral-colored nubs that will burst into Baltimore oriole-attracting blossoms soon. Tiny maroon leaves are poking out of my flowering crab tree.
I keep having to remind myself it’s Holy Week. It definitely feels like spring; but Easter? Nope. Not without the church.
I’m writing this on Wednesday of Holy Week. For the first time in my life I missed or will miss every Holy Week church service. I wasn’t in church on Palm Sunday, won’t attend a Maundy Thursday or Good Friday service, and won’t be in church on Easter. I won’t be singing or playing my favorite Easter songs on my trumpet. I didn’t spend the past month preparing a song to play.
I keep reminding myself that the first Christians met in houses, not temples. And Jesus said, “’For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.’” (Matthew 18:20 NKJV).
So I can have church with my kids in front of a Facebook live video on Easter, as we have since March 22. We’ll be gathered in Jesus’ name, and he will be there, too.
I’ve already picked daffodils and pink, blue, and white hyacinths. They’re in a vase and will serve as Easter flowers.
We’re not buying new dresses or shirts for Easter. We’ll be eating turkey breast, baked potatoes, green beans, angel food cake, and raspberry fluff as our Easter dinner. We won’t be joining my parents or other loved ones for a big ham dinner. But it’ll still be Easter. It’ll still the holiest day of the year in my mind.
Without the resurrection we would not have a religion called Christianity. Jesus was born; we call that Christmas. Jesus died one horrible afternoon at 3 p.m. We call that Good Friday.
He couldn’t rise from the dead if he hadn’t been born and then died. But if he’d simply been born, lived an extraordinary life of gentleness, kindness, compassion, healing, and teaching, and then died, his followers would’ve scattered shortly after his death and few people would remember Jesus.
But he didn’t. Jesus rose! We’re talking about this event, the most important in history, because no one has ever risen from the dead by his own power. Only Jesus did this.
Life is different for most of us this Easter season. I think there will be long-lasting changes as a result of the stay-at-home order. I think families will draw closer and realize their busy schedules break down family unity.
I expect online schooling will grow exponentially. I predict more people will choose to work from home. But we’ll see.
I also predicted a bad winter this year and we had the most perfect weather imaginable for a Pennsylvania winter.
Regardless, I hope you can rejoice in the renewal of spring, the resurrection of Jesus, and in the positive changes that have come out of, and will continue, as a result of the stay-at-home order.
Take a walk and watch for tiny yellow coltsfoot and majestic daffodils. Breathe in the sweet, fresh air in the Atlantic community and praise God that you don’t live in a smoggy city.
Watch bluebirds flit around and woodpeckers eat suet cakes. Listen for mourning doves calling their mates. Watch online church services via Facebook or Zoom. Dust off your piano and play. Dust off your Bible and read. I recommend John 13 through 21 this week.
All God’s blessings!
**************************
`` Fallowfield United Methodist Church has cancelled worship services and all activities until after April 30, 2020. Pastor Larry Corner is broadcasting sermons on Facebook.
`` Adamsville Presbyterian Church will continue broadcasting worship via the Zoom app.
`` Atlantic Community Church has cancelled church until May 3 due to coronavirus. They will monitor the situation then. The April 25 church birthday party will be rescheduled.
``If you are interested in ditch dirt, please call East Fallowfield Township’s building at (814) 382-8188 or the township’s garage, at (814) 382-0920. Leave a message if no one answers.