An Easter message

Reverend Jean Brown | Apr 08, 2020

(United Church Clergy from Sharbot Lake and Parham United Churches serving the areas and amalgamated churches of Zealand, Oso, Maberly, Parham, Sharbot Lake, Oconto, Tichborne, Wagarville, Long Lake and all places in between)

The world’s circumstances and health situation has changed drastically but the Christian message of Easter and of a Holy Presence remains constant- We are not alone- God is with us. Our source of strength is with us as we self isolate, pray, worship from home on-line; ring the church bells, and seek new ways to connect with God and with one another. Our challenge is to continue to tell the Christian story with our lives, our actions, our deeds, and to remain true to our Biblical hero Jesus Christ. In our faith tradition we believe that at Easter- Jesus Christ rose from the dead and that His strength and influence are still at work in our world today. His ideas and ideals are still alive and available. After He rose from the dead and was met by the first followers after his resurrection he reminds them to not hold on to him: “don't hold on to me, I haven't yet ascended to the Father”. He says those words to us today- don’t try to hold on to me, don’t try to get it all figured out, because there will always be some surprises in store, or some way that God will change/challenge us. We might like to go with the security, however the unknown challenges beckon to us. We don’t need to look far for these challenges as we are surely challenged with this virus, and with the absence of Sunday gatherings and Easter worship services because of Covid 19. However God challenges us to persevere in new ways- to pray, to act, to collaborate with God and with people of faith or of no faith or differing faiths to work for good. Our on-going task and most faithful witness in Covid 19 that is being done well is our practices of serving and protecting the most vulnerable—watching out for the lost and standing by those who fall behind. Our phone calls, encouraging words, community co-operation in an up-coming take out Easter dinner and actions, prayers, are a real tribute to God. We can truly thank God for God’s abiding presence. and for guiding us through this epidemic. We are not alone- God bless- Jean