Dear friends,   Grace and Peace to you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  

You will probably be receiving this newsletter at some point during the Triduum. Perhaps on Maundy Thursday as you are reminded of Judas’ betrayal, the Lord washing the Disciples feet, the Last Supper, and the commandment to love one another. Or, maybe you’ll receive/read it on Good Friday as you remember the crucifixion and death of our Lord and Savior. Or, perhaps you’ll read these words on Holy Saturday, as we await the resurrection and remember that our Lord descended to the dead to announce the Good News.  

After those three days, we celebrate the resurrection, of which I will not prematurely celebrate here in this newsletter. But, I needed to get to the topic of resurrection because it is the theme of my message for this month.  

I went back and looked at last year’s April newsletter, and boy was it bleak. We had just finished our initial two week “flatten the curve” shelter in place directive, only to learn we were going to have to do it a little longer. A “little” longer…

For many of us, it was at that point that some sobering realities began to sink in. We realized this was more serious than we had thought, and we realized it was going to probably last a lot longer than we had imagined. And, for me, I was devastated to realize that we were not going to be back in church for Holy Week and Easter. Little did I know then, that we would not be back in church for Christmas, or yet another Holy Week!  

However, that newsletter message ended on a note of hope and faith. As will this one. Because, even though we’re not in person for Holy Week again, we are seeing signs of resurrection, we are seeing signs of new life. We are seeing infection numbers dropping, and we are seeing vaccination numbers rising. We are seeing light breaking through the tomb of the pandemic and we are slowly emerging to new life.  

As we celebrate new life in the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us look with hope for the resurrection of our own life and world. Knowing that things will be different in this new life, and that scars remain from the old life. Yet trusting, that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are guiding us into this resurrection life. And, where they lead, we are glad to follow. Hosanna!

Blessings, Pastor Robert