Being Raised to New Life
This Sunday we receive the One Great Hour of Sharing offering for world ministries and disaster relief through the UCC. We also will share in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper and remember that we are marching through Lent and getting closer to Holy Week—next Sunday is Palm Sunday. To lift up the themes of suffering and resurrection we will read the Gospel of John’s story of the raising of Lazarus from the tomb (John 11:1-45). The question is: What is John’s point in telling this story? Is it just to impress us with how powerful Jesus is—he can raise the dead? Or is John reminding the church that we are to be the body of Christ and instruments of new life in the world? If the story is really about us then how do we go about raising people from the dead? Good question. I have a story that I heard just a week ago that will help us sense the deep truth in this ancient Gospel story. The focus of my communion meditation will be that when we come together as a community of faith and see the brokenness and pain around us and within us, then we can begin not only to weep as Jesus does in this story but also to call forth new life, new wholeness, even from the darks depths of the cave of death. My message is titled, “It Takes a Community”. Come find out where this line of thought is going.
This Saturday—April 5—is a Habitat Work Day. I don’t have details with me but you can email Will Garrison or call the church office on Friday to find out where we will be meeting. I know that we will be doing some framing and that First Church is providing the lunch for our two groups working together.
Keep the situation in North Adams and the closing of North Adams Regional Hospital in your prayers. Beyond the anger and the blame there is so much pain in so many losing jobs and the county losing such a critical resource. From such pain can new life come? In the words of Psalm 130, which we will read together on Sunday, “I cry out to you, O God, from the depths” and then “O Israel, hope in the Lord. For with God is steadfast love”. May such love be a source of strength for all who suffer. And may new wisdom and new life come.
It’s Thursday evening on what was a beautiful spring day. Tonight is clear and the waxing moon is sitting in the middle of a star cluster known as the Hyades. I’m going out now to explore the moon for awhile with my telescope and to watch as the unlit side of the moon gradually blocks out the stars of the star cluster. It’s called ‘occultation’ and it’s really cool when a brightly shining star all of a sudden winks out because the object in front—this time the moon—gets in the way.
Spring is on the way and with it signs of new life. May those signs grow within each one of us. Peace.