Closed with Hallelujah

For the first time ever, we closed our Easter service with Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus—and it both raised the roof and brought the house down. Our powerhouse choir did its job for both Good Friday and Easter Sunday. (And the piano/cello duet from Blake and Alex on Good Friday was beyond beautiful.)

What good meals we had on Thursday and Friday. All went well. We have been uplifted with the Spirit of our Lord.

And the Easter Season continues for six more Sundays, leading us all the way to Pentecost on June 8.

Discovering God Resumes

We skipped Easter Sunday, but we’re back on track this week. Members of this class are learning things most people do not know. We’re getting a deeper look at the world. This Sunday, one of the most unusual stories in my book. Starts at 9:45.

Breakfast this Sunday

Let’s face it: this breakfast time has become important. And it’s up to whoever will help this Sunday. I’ll bring donuts. Breakfast is at 10:30.

THE CONCERT

Saturday at 6:00 PM

Shannon and Julian take us to Broadway!

This Saturday evening will be a great one. Two of our best singers will bring us some of our best-loved songs—and a few surprises. The offering will go to Eastside Ministries, which is currently hurting for funds. Your gift will help feed a family in need.

We get to have fun and be our Lord’s helping hands at the same time. And we eat, too—spaghetti dinner at 7:00, right after the concert.

DON’T – FORGET – THE CONCERT!

My love to all of you.

God bless—MB

Greetings to all in the name of the risen Christ!

I will admit that Holy Week is not easy for me. Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services break my heart, and it does not get any easier year after year. Holy Week services—and especially the music—coupled with the number of church members who have passed away in the last two months (and in the last several years), have brought a great deal of grief into my heart over these last ten days.

Grief is an odd companion, coming in wave upon wave across one’s heart. Reliving the last days of the life of Jesus creates this kind of grief in me every year. And yet, Holy Week is the most spiritual time of the year for me. I tend to lean in toward God during the forty days of Lent, and especially in the last seven days leading to Easter.

After every Easter, I pray for a continuation of the intimacy I find during Lent and Holy Week. I am praying for all of us to be reminded EVERY DAY that we are Easter People.

Don’t forget our Saturday night concert, April 26th—music at 6:00 PM and a lovely spaghetti dinner provided by the Kitchen Crew at 7:00 PM. All proceeds will go to Eastside Ministries.

Blessings and love to all,

Mary

What a Sunday! This Easter, our church lawn was transformed into a joyful place of celebration, learning, and surprise. And not just because of the 1,000 eggs hidden for the kids, but because we were celebrating the most important part of our faith: Jesus is alive!

Before the hunt even began, the kids got a special visit from a mother bunny and her four babies, who seemed to come by just to give their approval! And as the Easter Bunny prepared for the big event, eight baby chicks also made an appearance. Each chick looked different—some fluffy yellow, others patterned with stripes or spots—and all of them were reminders that God creates each of us to be wonderfully unique.

By 10:15, the eggs were out and the hunt was on! Miss Vickie directed the little ones to a dry grassy area near the street (thanks to the rain the night before), while the big kids raced to the playground side. About 20 children filled baskets and shopping bags with bright, colorful eggs. Many of the kids from the homes across the street joined us too—we were so glad to welcome them!

In the end, Rhys Vitek found the golden egg for the older kids, and Mabel Salfen found the golden egg for the younger group. The smiles said it all!

But Easter is about more than eggs—it’s about the greatest promise ever made.

After the hunt, we gathered inside for a movie, popcorn, and juice. We watched The Easter Promise, a film that followed the story of Jesus from His arrival in Jerusalem, through the Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, His trial, the cross, and finally, His resurrection. The story ended with beautiful music and clouds lifting as Jesus rose from the grave.

As the Bible tells us:

“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” – Matthew 28:6

After the movie, we worked on a craft—stained glass crosses to remind us that out of darkness comes light, and from the cross came new life.

WHAT WE LEARNED

✔ Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection—He is alive!
✔ Each part of the story matters: the donkey, the garden, the cross, and the empty tomb.
✔ God made us all different, like the baby chicks, but we are equally loved.
✔ We can carry the joy of Easter with us by learning about Jesus and sharing His love.

Thank you for bringing your kids, grandkids, and friends to church this Easter. We hope you’ll come back next Sunday—and every Sunday—as we continue to learn more about the life, love, and promises of Jesus.

Jesus is risen. And that changes everything.

Our Church Family

John Reynolds, a member of St. Matthew for over half a century, has died after a long illness. John was in his 90s. He will be missed by his surviving son and daughter and by his church family. Service time is pending.

HOLY THURSDAY

Light supper at 6:00

Worship at 6:30

We gather at the table on the anniversary of that Last Supper. Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” It is His call. We are following.

GOOD FRIDAY

Light supper at 6:00

Worship at 6:30

We faithfully follow Jesus from the garden to the cross—from Gethsemane to Calvary—and beyond to the tomb. The powerful music from our choir will feature our guest cellist. This service is held at the time of Jesus’ burial on that first Good Friday.

EASTER SUNDAY

Egg Hunt for the kids at 10:00

Breakfast at 10:30

Worship at 11:00

We meet “in the beauty of the lilies” to celebrate the miracle of the Resurrection.

Sermon title: Welcome to the Real World.

Breakfast this Sunday

This isn’t up to Winston, but let’s try to have breakfast ready for those here for the egg hunt and others. I’ll bring both donuts and “little piggies.” You, too, may want to help. After all, it’s our only Easter this year.

Come, as you are able, on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.

How good to know the truth about life.

How good to be in church!

Did somebody say “Amen”?

God bless—MB

Peace and love to you all in the name of Jesus Christ,

A book called The Universal Christ was my first encounter with the writings of Father Richard Rohr. I remember being fascinated by the book and by Father Rohr’s understanding of Jesus Christ. To summarize: “Richard Rohr proposes that every human being is already ‘in Christ,’ and that Christ is not just Jesus, but a broader, universal reality. This idea suggests that the divine love expressed in Jesus is also present in all of creation, including every human being. The book encourages seeing the Christ in all things and fosters a sense of interconnectedness and unity.”

The book calls us to change our point of view. It invites us to look at everything as holy. It challenges us to stop judging, stop comparing, and stop separating ourselves from one another. Instead, Rohr calls us into a relationship with Jesus Christ so intimate that we begin to see the world through Christ’s eyes and love the world with the divine love of our God. I remember from my first reading that Rohr emphasizes this divine love begins in the mirror.

That is the barrier though, isn’t it—loving ourselves, also? We hold so many grudges against ourselves and have passed so much judgment on our own actions that we struggle to give mercy where it’s most needed. “Mercy is a way to describe the mystery of forgiveness. It is who God is.” The word for mercy in Hebrew is hesed, and it means steadfast, enduring, unbreakable love.

Steadfast, enduring, unbreakable love! Can you imagine the world if people practiced this kind of love with the human in the mirror and the rest of God’s creation? This is what heaven must be like—a place where we give up clinging to our unforgiveness, toward ourselves and others, and release the divine love that God has placed in our hearts.

As we move through Holy Week, think about what it took for God to set aside the glories of heaven, take on human flesh, and live the life Jesus lived on this earth. God gave everything. I believe God did it for love.

I pray that you encounter the Universal Christ in your life. I pray that God’s divine love so overwhelms you that you begin to see yourself—and others—as we are all seen in the eyes of Jesus: the beloved children of Christ.

Maundy Thursday: 6:00 PM light dinner, 6:30 PM service

Good Friday: 6:00 PM dinner, 6:30 PM service

Easter Sunday: 10:00 AM Easter Egg Hunt for the children; 11:00 AM Easter worship service

The Universal Christ. 2019. (Accessed April 14, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/receiving-gods-mercy/)