EASTER SUNDAY
17 April 2022
Welcome! We extend a warm welcome to our guests, and invite you to sign the guest book at the back of the sanctuary. Unfortunately, however, we are not yet able to resume our after-service fellowship time in the Church Hall.
We thank Raymond Reichelt for leading our Good Friday service in John Zondag’s absence, and we thank Charlie Clifford, who is leading our Easter service today. As well, we thank Keith Kelly, who will lead our service next Sunday (the 24th).
The Greeters this month are Rob and Cheryl McPherson.
The Reader today is Lalaine Buan.
This Week in First Church:
– Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. – Bible study, by Zoom
– Wednesday, 5:00 p.m. – Meal-in-a-Bowl Supper
The Christian Year – Today is Easter Sunday, the joyful celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Easter is the third of the four major festivals of the Christian Year (the others being Christmas, Epiphany, and Pentecost). Easter Sunday is also the first day of the Easter Season, which is 50 days (7 weeks) in length, concluding at Pentecost. The 50 joyful days of Easter stand in sharp contrast to the 40 subdued days of Lent.
At Easter, we celebrate God’s triumph over the powers of evil and death in raising Jesus up from death. Luke 24 (as well as the parallel passages in the other three Gospels) tells of how Jesus’ disciples first learned of his resurrection two days after he had been put to death on the cross; and also describes some of the appearances of the risen Jesus to his disciples between his resurrection and his ascension (his return to heaven). At Easter, we also affirm and celebrate the biblical promise that all who believe in Jesus will be raised to new, eternal life in the kingdom of God after they die, just as Jesus himself was raised from death. We affirm as well God’s power to make good come out of bad in smaller ways, too, in everyday life.
The seasonal color for Easter is white, symbolizing joy and celebration.