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Celebrating Easter with the Communion of Saints |
2007-03-27 |
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Easter was always an exciting time at my house when I was a little girl. I remember my older sister and I always got new Easter dresses, and shoes. Sometimes we even got new spring coats for church! As I recall, the Easter basket always included a hat, white gloves and a new slip and nylons. It sounds strange now, because most girls these days don’t even know what a slip or nylons are (or they think they are only for “old ladies”) but it was BIG STUFF.
Easter always meant great candy in the Easter basket, too. The biggest deal of all, for a little girl in the late sixties early seventies, was Easter Breakfast at a restaurant!!! Now kids have absolutely no concept about how big of a deal it was to go out to eat. In those days it happened so rarely, (maybe once or twice a year!), that it was thrilling to go out to eat.
As a little girl, I thought all those trappings were the best part about Easter. I knew all about Jesus rising from the dead. Good Friday service was a must at my house. I remember the stark service, quiet and solemn, and the Pastor slamming the Bible shut with an loud BANG! to signify Jesus’ death. This had a tremendous impact on me, so much so I remember crying because Jesus had died.
I knew the Easter story. I felt the range of emotions throughout the worship services during Holy Week. But I still thought all the “goodies” were at the heart of Easter. I got caught up in all the traditions, going through the motions if you will, and my “eye” settled on all the “stuff” that I got that I could touch, feel, taste and see.
I’m not a little girl any more. Even though I would love a new dress and shoes for Easter, and goodness knows I’m always happy about chocolate in any shape much less a bunny----I have come to see the more precious gifts that Easter brings.
Most of you know we “lost” our Gran this January. Craig’s Mom, Christine, was and is an important part of our life and the void without her is beyond bearable some days. We talk about her almost daily and marvel at how strange life is without her, even though we saw them only once or twice a year. Her death has changed us in many ways.
This year, Easter means something different to us. When Grant participates in the Lord’s Supper for the first time on Maundy Thursday we know he will be joined with all Believers of every time and every place. Gran, a woman of great faith, will be there with him, right beside him with the great cloud of witnesses. The same will be true at Hanna’s confirmation. Gran has joined other believers in our family who are in the great cloud of witnesses and they will surround Hanna, and all of us at the Communion rail. And even though I might not even have a new thing to wear, or even an Easter basket for that matter, the biggest deal of all this Easter (and every Easter) is the promise that we will be reunited with believers in Christ once and for all! The pain and heartache of this life will one day end because of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ! Death has no power over us and will one day will no longer exist. Forgiveness and fresh starts. No death. No pain. No loss. No separations. No goodbyes. Wow! Now that’s an Easter gift!
Those things of the past have long been lost or no longer exist. Easter resurrection, on the other hand, is the gift that lasts forever and is given to us again and again and again and again…….
May God remind you of His love in a new way this Easter!
See you in church!
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Summer: starting Memorial Day Weekend
9:00 am Worship Service KMSD Broadcast
10:00 am Coffee and Fellowship
WOW (Worship on Wednesday) 6:30 pm
Winter: starting after Labor Day
8:30 am Worship Service KMSD Broadcast
9:35 am Educational Hour
9:35 am Coffee and Fellowship
10:45 am Worship Service
WOW (Worship on Wednesday) 6:30 pm |
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401 South Flynn Drive
Milbank SD 57252
605.432.5566 |
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