The Easter season is a great time to think about what it means to say, “The Word became flesh.” The presence of God, in the person of Jesus, is the cornerstone of our faith. Because Jesus lives as the risen Lord of the universe, his followers are able to communicate with and love people as Christ loves us. One author expressed it this way, “Christianity is, finally, a story in which communication prevails over violence. This is the wonder of the incarnation. The Word becomes more than words. And it inspires us to let the Holy Spirit of patience and tenderness turn our own violent frustration and anger into relationship and trust—and eventually to let those words become flesh, in embodied gestures and commitments of solidarity and love.”
As I read about the violence in our world, I see a great need for the love mentioned above to heal relationships and to heal hurting people. The chaos in Sudan these days is just one example where violence and hate cause the suffering of many innocent people. May God have mercy!
This Sunday evening, April 30, we will have the Brevard Youth Big Band Concert in our sanctuary at 6:30pm. Come out and enjoy some great music from the Big Band era! Those who have attended these concerts in the past know that these young people are quite talented.
This Sunday, April 30, is a fifth Sunday. That means we will have a traditional hymn sing at the 9am service. Our scripture passages for Sunday are Psalm 23 and Acts 2:42-47. I am working on a message entitled “Everything in Common?” The passage from Acts really challenges us on how to live as Christians. I encourage you to read Psalm 23 and the Acts passage before Sunday and think about how the two scripture references reinforce each other. As always, we appreciate your prayers for each week’s worship services.
Finally, I express my gratitude for the opportunity to serve Grace UMC for a ninth year starting July 1. So many of you have been a blessing to me and my family through good times and tough times. We love and appreciate you!
I look forward to seeing you in worship Sunday!
Steve Hart