easter 2009 will definitely go down in all our memories as a truly powerful day at dec. the sunrise service was blessed with an incredible gift from God– a multicolor display of sunrays (or Sonrays). it was gorgeous, and a great way to lead us into worship. a huge crowd of disciples sang the songs of easter and heard the word of God. but the wildest thing was yet to come– two baptisms right there at the landing. how cold was it?? not sure, but my toes still haven’t come back on line. for andrew and tasia it will be a baptism to remember. and for those who witnessed the event, a really great encouragement in the faith. i still wonder what the folks who live by the landing would think if they looked out their windows at 6:30 a.m. on a frosty morning and saw some guy pushing some other guy under water (and nobody in the crowd would help this poor man who was being drowned!). gotta be one really odd sight.

back at the building things were just as crazy. i’ve never been a big “numbers” guy when it comes to church attendance. numbers are fine, but way more important is dicipleship. big isn’t really the issue. having said that, our 8a.m. service was without a doubt a record setter not only for that timeframe, but maybe ever. about 450 people jammed their way in (not counting kids). it was cozy to say the least. why so many so early?? not sure, but having breakfast before is a huge contributing factor.

by the time the last service got done, i was exhausted. but it was that kind of “holy” exhaustion that puts a smile on you soul. God’s blessings on all of you who stretched out and invited friends and family. to God be the Glory. i pray great things flow out of the really cool easter.

ts

It’s sandwiched in between “Good” Friday and “Easter” Sunday, but nobody gave it a name. So maybe we should call it “Silent” Saturday. Whenever I read the Gospels, I always try to put myself into the story– the emotions, the experiences, the questions. I’ve thought a lot about that Saturday. What was it like to be one of the apostles or the faithful women that were always with Jesus? Must have been a really tough day.

On one hand you are dealing with crushed dreams. For four years you have 24/7 been with the One you thought was going to be the Messiah. But that dream died on a cross yesterday. The confusion, the sadness must have been overwhelming. But it isn’t just crushed dreams that you’re encountering; you are also processing a crushed relationship. How could a guy who had been with you all these years– had broken bread, preached the Gospel, even performed miracles– become the great betrayer. What happened to Judas? He was a friend and a fellow apostle. How did he do something so evil? Finally, what will you do now? The future was all wrapped up in Jesus, and now Jesus is gone. Saturday must have been really bad. I wonder what they talked about with each other as the day went on. Obviously, not the Red Sox.

Of course today is no different. Sometimes we have our “Good” Fridays– those utterly crushing moments. And some days we have our “Easter” Sundays– days filled with great joy. But more common are the “Silent” Saturdays. Days of confusion (maybe about a crushed dream), days of broken relationships (maybe even betrayal), and days of anxiety (maybe worries about the future). That’s were we live much of life. Maybe that’s why God invented the church. A community of people who could be there to weep with each other through the “Good” Fridays, and could share the joy of “Easter” Sundays. But also a family that is there to walk each other through the confusion, sadness, and anxiety of the “Silent” Saturdays of life. Let’s face it, Saturday was never meant to be faced alone.

ts