Dear Edgeboro Friends & Family,
“The Lord is Risen! The Lord is Risen, Indeed!”
We proclaimed these words on Easter Sunday at the beginning of our beloved liturgy, but these words are not reserved for one day a year. The season of Easter, or Eastertide, lasts 50 days. This year, that began on March 31st and it will end on Pentecost Sunday (May 19th). Therefore, we have a few weeks left to continue celebrating the resurrection of our Risen Lord! (Technically, we do this all year round, just sometimes in more subtle ways.)
In the gospels, so much changed for the disciples in 50 days. They went from being afraid for their lives, locking themselves in the upper room, to being overjoyed to see Jesus, to accepting Jesus’ call to “feed my sheep” and a Great Commission that will take them to the ends of the earth, to watching Jesus ascend into heaven, to receiving the power of the Holy Spirit with wind and flames. They changed from a bunch of people huddled in a room to a church with a worldwide mission!
A lot can happen in 50 days!
Did you know that 50 days from May 1st is the official start of summer (June 20th)? There’s a lot happening in these 50 days too!
In that span, there are many special days that many will celebrate: Graduations, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, last day of school, Father’s Day. Many of us will already be engaging in summer activities and travels, big and small, ranging from prepping the grills and patio furniture to going on camping trips and family vacations. You’ll see in this newsletter there are plenty of things going on and future things being planned for at the church and the extended community during this span.
Like the disciples experienced, in the next 50 days, I pray that you continue to be filled with hope upon knowing that Christ lives, leaving nothing that could come in between you and his love. May you be blessed and encouraged by the Spirit of Christ who is with you to strengthen you and ahead of you to guide you. Continue loving and serving others in all of the special days, activities, travels, and events you engage in, doing it all in the name of the one who died, but now lives forevermore.
Eastertide Blessings,
Pastor Dan