He Is Risen! - 04 April 2021 - Plague Journal Day 388

Micah 6:8
John 20
Yes, your life matters.

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

 

 

This Sunday is Easter Sunday - The Lord Is Risen! The Lord Is Risen Indeed!

With the COVID case levels settling down in Grosse Pointe, we've resumed our in-person worship!
Yes, we have in-person worship in the Sanctuary today. You need to have registered ahead of time to attend, and an email went out from the church with all the details!

For those hardy souls willing to brave the early morning hours, we're hosting a Son Rise service around the Memorial Garden. Please bring your own chairs (just like our Summer worship), and we'll maintain our safe distancing. The highlight of this service is ... we're going to sing a hymn together out there! Christ the Lord Is Risen Today - how much joy will we experience by singing this wonderful hymn with our church family? There's only one way to find out - show up and join in! (Note, you don't need to register for this service, but we will take attendance and all that good stuff.)

For our 9:30 worship service we have another great virtual choir anthem for our offertory time and a hymn for us to read along while Doug plays - with a few handbells thrown in for good measure. (We're slowly getting back to real Methodist worship!) Remember, we'll be streaming for all those who can't join us in person. Don't forget, Pastor Ray mentioned a surprise on the way into this worship service, so watch for something special as you come to the church entrance.

As usual, today's stream should just appear as the latest entry on our YouTube channel, here.
You'll find all our previous worship videos right there at that same place, and today's stream will stay there as a recording as well.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264

19 April 2020 - Plague Journal Day 38

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Today is Orthodox Easter, so let me say that Χριστός ανέστη!

Beyond that, beyond the most importan celebration that could possibly be in the history of the world, today is John Parker Day - I guess Buckaroo Banzai must be a more popular film than I had thought!

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.

Easter Sunday - 12 April 2020 - Plague Journal Day 31

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

Friends, it's perhaps the oddest of Easters: the church buildings are empty.
Yes, the church buildings are empty, but so is the tomb:

The Lord Is Risen!
The Lord Is Risen Indeed!

How to celebrate in such days as these? Well, first, let's all sing Christ the Lord Is Risen Today with the GPUMC congregation. Charles Wesley knew what he was doing when he wrote that hymn. One of the blessings of being a Methodist is the heritage of the Bible and the Hymnal - if you have those two books, you have the Methodist church.

Next up, here's a poem I wrote about seeing Mary in the garden that first Easter morning:

In the Garden, in the World
(audio version)
Read: John 20:1-18

Walking slowly in the dawning
    burdened with grief
    burdened with oil and spices
    burdened with a task – an act of Love

To the tomb they come wondering
    how could He be dead?
    how can we bear it?
    how can we roll away that stone?

Shocked to stillness, to standing
    the guards are gone
    the tomb is opened
    the angel tells them that He is risen

Running to the disciples, then with two returning
    the men look in
    see He is not there
    return pondering, confused

Left behind in the Garden, wondering
    where can I find Him?
    where have they taken Him?
    where have you taken Him?

Asking the Gardener, weeping
    hears Him call her name
    sees Him welcome her
    worships Him, falling at His feet

Listening to His Word, worshiping
    “don’t fear, trust Me
    “don’t hold Me, proclaim Me,
    “tell them to come to Me.”

I see the scene unfold, marveling
    The Tomb is empty!
    The Tomb is empty!
    The Tomb is empty! Hallelujah!

Mary met Him in the Garden
    where will I meet Him? Here?
Mary worshiped Him as soon as she knew Him
    when will I worship Him? Now?
Mary knew Him as her Lord, her all
    what is He to me? Savior?
Mary ran to tell her friends to meet Him
    whom will I tell? Anyone? Everyone?
Mary spent her life serving Him who saved her
    why don’t I? how can I not?

                                    - Charlie van Becelaere, © 2020


And finally, our task is to share the Good News. Live your life so that everyone you meet will wonder and want what you have (you will meet people again eventually) - and make sure that what you have is really Who you have. Amen.

Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.

In times like these, it's more important than ever to come together. Grand Teuton Press is proud to join the #StayHome Movement uniting our entire industry to encourage everyone to stay home if you can to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Together we can save lives. #AloneTogether