MAY EVENTS3rd ~ 1st Saturday (page 3)4th, 10th & 11th ~ Informational Meetings (page 1 & 3)
17th ~ New Members Class (page 3)18th ~ Congregational Meeting (page 1 & 3)18th ~ Fine Arts Series Organ Recital (page 3)31st ~ Confirmation Banquet (page 5)
Please click on the "Newsletter" link to the right to find out more about these great events!
Luke 24: 13-35 tells about something that happened on the evening of the first Easter.
Cleopas and another disciple are walking towards a village called Emmaus when a stranger joins them on the journey. They don't recognize this man but he enters the conversation by asking them what they were speaking about.
They tell him they are brokenhearted because Jesus had been crucified and buried. Their hopes are dashed because they thought he was the one whom God had promised as Messiah.
Then Jesus goes into action explaining that the Hebrew Scriptures actually had foretold that the Messiah would be a suffering servant who must die and rise.
Something starts to happen in their hearts. They start to blaze!
Evening falls, Emmaus is reached and Jesus pretends he'll walk on but they plead for him to stay. And so he does and when they sit at table and he breaks the
bread-- they see! It is Jesus- alive- never to die again. He is Risen.
They run back to tell the others- and they find that back in Jerusalem the reports of his resurrection are breaking out as well!
I love this text because I believe Jesus gives us a model of how we can be Good News-sharing-Easter people.
We walk the journey with friends/colleagues/loved ones. We LISTEN to their story first.
Next we add our understanding of the Word so that the Spirit might set their hearts ablaze when they are confronted with the notion of God's unconditional love made perfect in Christ.
Next we invite them to the Table- where in the breaking of the bread we know Him still.
I've found that God usually makes Himself known in gentle and loving ways. Your words to those who have not heard matter.
Remember that you are precious in the eyes of the Lord and share that Easter news with others too. If you're close to ELC Frederick or Urbana-- this is the message we celebrate at every worship service. We hope you'll join us for worship or find a place of worship where grace is celebrated close to you.
Easter joy! Ours is the victory in Jesus Christ!
Pastor Dave+