As I look out my study window this morning, today promises to be an absolutely beautiful and warm day.  I see a gorgeous blue sky with only a few wisps of white clouds, I hear birds chirping merrily and the pond flowing – all signaling the joy of creation and what is to come in the unfolding month ahead.  My spirit says, “Yes” to life!  And we, as a congregation, say, “Yes” to beginning the first phase of our safe return to in-person services by offering outdoor worship beginning April 18th (more information explaining the outdoor worship polices and reservation process will be coming to you after Easter).

And then reality catches me – reminding me of the ongoing pandemic, wars, racial hatred and all the ways people hurt one another through discrimination, bias and oppression.  Problems are ever-present and one wonders if things will ever get better.   Death, destruction and violence are real and horrible.   I continue to pray for peace and reconciliation with justice – realizing the living of our lives is one of the most powerful forms of prayer.

My eyes have drifted outside again.  I know the same blue sky is meant to be above all the other countries of the globe and over those who do awful things to one another here and abroad – calling all peoples to the “Yes” of life.  God’s goodness is so far beyond our imagining and deserving. 

This Holy Week we are “Journeying with Christ” as we follow with Jesus through the passion of his last days on earth.  To help us on the path which entailed for him betrayal, desertion, violence and death the church is offering a virtual Maundy Thursday Service with a link which will come to your email inbox tomorrow.  I hope you will join us for this moving and meaningful worship opportunity as we experience the interplay of light and darkness in all that Jesus faced.  He taught love not hate, trust not fear, and he offered up his life to the way of violence rather than inflict violence on others.  He said the road is narrow and not easy that leads to life.  And so it is…

 Our Journey with Christ can drive us deeper and deeper into the reality of who he was and is.  Where the journey for you and me will end, I cannot say.  But I do know resurrection will come.  Whether God’s children around us and around the globe say “Yes” to life or not, I know God always says “Yes” and that God will keep on saying “Yes” no matter what.  That my friends, makes all the difference in the world, to the world, and for the world!

                                    “I am the resurrection and the life!” said Jesus.

May we hear that great “I Am” statement now more than ever – and respond with our “Yeses!”

 Celebrating the great Easter Promise!

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister