This Sunday we have the joy of sharing in the sacrament of Baptism. We will be baptizing Nowell Wesley, son of Genesis Wesley and Jonathan Villaneuva—one of our new families who have been coming in recent months. Nowell is 8. His big sister, Osheanna, is 10. I’m hoping she will help me with a part of the ceremony. I’m looking forward to talking with both of them about the meaning of the water and God’s love that pours into our lives every day. During Coffee Hour we’ll have a cake to celebrate this sacrament provided by Ann Roche and the Church School. Thank you, Ann.
Our lessons for the day are Psalm 30, a song of thanksgiving for God rescuing the psalmist from some kind of ‘pit’—probably a life-threatening illness. For the psalmist God brings new life even out of experiences of death. The Resurrection of Jesus is God’s affirmation that the psalmist’s intuitions about new life are true. The abundant life God brings into the world cannot be destroyed even by the violence of the cross. In John 21:1-19 the risen Christ appears to the disciples who have gone fishing. There is an abundant catch after a night of failure. This brings recognition that the stranger on the beach is actually Jesus. Sandi Smith and I will read this story of bread and fish for breakfast on the beach. I will offer reflections on how this story can help us recognize deeper dimensions of life, the abundance that is here all the time if we have the eyes to see. We will also sing some wonderful Baptism and Easter hymns and the Chancel Choir will lift our hearts as well.
Last week I was away having fun exploring the county, reading, and catching up at home. I’m grateful to Rev. Lisanne Finston for being our preacher last Sunday and to the faithful souls who came on a wintry day. I offer a special word of thanks to Ruth Austin who played the piano—Bob Blafield couldn’t make it in—and to John Moore and Cindy Dickinson for providing an impromptu anthem duet. Thanks for being creative! I wonder if this Sunday will be spring or winter? In either case, come if you can and we’ll share some more creative energy—some of that abundance flowing from the heart of God.
As I’m writing this Mary Wheat came in with some Food Ministry totals for the month of March. In March nearly 995 volunteer hours were given at the Pantry and St. Joe’s Kitchen. At the Pantry 2,243 people came through the line. Many have families at home. The total number of people—all the members of those families—we helped feed last month was 6,098. Since some come more than once a month, the total number of families served was 860. It’s quite a ministry that keeps revealing an abundance of generosity—a sign of Resurrection in our midst. Peace.