Many Christians have flocked to the movies in recent weeks, hungry to hear or know for the first time the story of Jesus’ life and death. Some have gone with seasoned and faithful eyes, and ears, with hearts that know the whole story of faith well, having lived it though many seasons. Some have gone as spiritual children, drinking in the images and emotions and only beginning to have understanding about what they have seen and felt and heard and experienced.

As I have listened to and read so many different reflections and reactions… one question repeatedly comes to mind — How are we telling the story of faith as we know it? We know how Mel Gibson wanted to and did, but what about us?

• How do we let our friends and neighbors know that we worship a God so determined to love us as to become like us. A god willing to be born and walk alongside us in our humanity in order to invite us into a loving bond of faith?
• How do our actions reflect or discipleship of a God whose mission it was to bring an end to poverty and injustice, to bring healing and hope and peace to life?
• What the channels through with our lives are speaking clearly and showing powerfully that the living Spirit of God is at work forgiving, saving, leading the world, through our daily lives?

When the story of faith is told by Christians it is told most powerfully with our lives. On Easter morning Mary told the story with her actions and words, she pushed past the fear and started running to tell others! Beginning then, and carrying on to today, the disciples and followers of Jesus have shaped the world when we have boldly proclaimed God’s love, in words and actions.

Easter is upon us — the spirit of Life is alive and well and cannot be stopped! We have good news to share, words of hope to whisper, compassion to embody and a God who loves us beyond our wildest imaginations! May God’s spirit free us from the caves that would hinder the story from being told in our lives — in our loving, in our sharing, in our advocacy for those in need and in our actions that reflect the passion of the Living Word!

In God’s Easter love,

Pastor Janet

I want to thank all of you for your best wishes on our vacations last month. We had a wonderful time in the Pacific Northwest visiting family and friends, and once again appreciated the warm Southern California weather.

Secondly, I want to encourage you to continue your commitment to the basic spiritual disciple work of regular worship, education, prayer, service and generosity. These are the building blocks of any Christian community. We are a strong Christian community and can be even stronger by supporting one another in these endeavors.

I realize how busy life can be. It was not so long ago, I was a Little League and Pony League coach and manager. I know how busy our chlidren’s lives are. One thing that my boys are grateful for is that we taught them the highest priority was God, and that somehow each weekend we found a way to worship Him. Our world needs a renewed sense that the First Commandment is an important one. “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”

I want to thank the Stewardship Committee for all their hard work in helping us observe Consecration Sunday. It is a wonderful celebration.

Many thanks to the Long Range Planning Committee. You will be seeing their work first-hand very soon. They have come up with some exciting suggestions for us. You may notice I am thankful for many things. I hope you are also in this season of thanksgiving.

See you in church!

Love, Pastor Frank