Easter: the Power of Love to Make all things New!

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!
Bill & Gloria Gaither

I am not sure that any words I have can begin to tell the beauty and the joy and the love that literally inhabited our campus at Howard Memorial Presbyterian Church Easter Sunday.

What happens I think is that, A) The belief of people on the periphery of faith is – momentarily – elevated to a higher plane and so they show up. B) Attending church becomes the priority rather than simply an option, so more people come. Then, C) The experience of those who typically come to church is also elevated – for the moment – and in consequence we all approach worship with more than the usual level of commitment.

Something More:

– Rebekah “working the room” before worship

The equation, then, is as follows: A+B+C=D (where “D” is Something More). So yes we absolutely and without doubt experienced Something More Easter Sunday morning. Especially when we factor in the principal that expectation often becomes our reality.

What amazes me is how people in general fail to realize that “Something More” is not only possible, it is promised – guaranteed absolutely every week of the year! And the potential for such joy and inspiration is just a simple commitment and a short drive from your home! Every weekend, if only we choose to accept God’s invitation!

– people beginning to gather around 6:50 am

SUNRISE: I often say that I am not by nature a sunrise person. But I was there for the Easter Sunrise Service, along with 55-60 other people, and our worship in the garden – in the graveyard – was profoundly beautiful. The birds, who evidently knew we were coming, organized themselves into a lovely (and extremely loud) choir.

This is the first church we have served that has a graveyard. And I have to admit, a resurrection worship service in amongst the tombs turns out to be a profound theological statement.

Rebekah and I feel privileged to be a part of something so real, so alive, so authentic as Tarboro.

We just hope and pray that more people understand what we know, that what happens Easter Sunday does not have to remain on the shelf until next year… or maybe Christmas Eve. This invitation from Jesus to engage life with all the joy and the passion and the meaning and the beauty that we experienced Easter morning; why not live into the truth and the fulness and the abundance that is ours?

This invitation from Jesus to engage life with all the joy and the passion and the meaning and the beauty that we experienced Easter morning; why not live into the truth and the fulness and the abundance that is ours?

Picture Perfect Day:

Take a moment to scroll through the following photographs. Hopefully you can feel the joy and the love. First, sunrise; then 11:00. In between, the family portraits (David, Beks and Geoffrey in Orland, then Rebekah and I here in Tarboro)! From our churchyard at 6:45, to Rebekah alone in our sanctuary, just a few moments after the end of worship, about thirty minutes after noon.