Posts from April 2023

Each time we gather in our Poplar Springs Sanctuary we see the light of the sun bending through the large stained-glass window in the balcony. This is the “Trinity Window” in our church, and it represents the triunity of God: The Father and his creative presence, The Son giving his life as a lamb for sacrifice, and The Spirit coming to bring God’s peace to our lives and our world. As I have noticed this window across the past months,…

As we come away from Easter Sunday we remember how the Resurrected Lord Jesus walked and taught with his disciples for 40 days and then announced the coming of the Holy Spirit to empower the early church for its mission in the world. That being so, our focus during worship over these next weeks will draw our attention to the Book of Acts in which we read of the characteristics that make the church, “the church!” In our anticipation of…

What happens when Easter praises have been sung, bells to welcome spring have been rung, and the bonnets and pastel clothes have been hung… until the next celebration? The answer is quite simple, especially profound, and eternally significant, viz. We will live as Easter People every day from now on! St. Augustine’s challenge is truly a great word to the church: “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter People! Hallelujah is our song!” Our calling is to…

On Saturday last, I thought again about the “April Fools.” While April Fools’ Day is the first day of April and is often a day for fun pranks, we pull on one another, it’s also coming this year just a few days before Easter Sunday. April 1st is also a day when my heart declares, with faith, that the greatest of April Fools is death itself along with the kingdoms of this world. Right before we moved to Shelby in…