Psalm 121, 122, 123 Exodus 5:1–6:1 1 Corinthians 14:20–33a, 39–40 Mark 9:42–50
For the first time in a long time, Fred and I will not be at St. John’s for Easter.
As we complete our retirement this year in Maine, we will be seeking a new church home through faith, prayer, and discernment. It feels appropriate to be seeking a new home and life during Lent—when we, as Christians, are all seeking the new home and life given to us through Christ.
And I suppose that is the point. The purpose of an Easter service is to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and what that has meant for the world and for each and every one of us. And, no matter the differences between the churches, this is the essence of Christianity. So the congregation in a rural church in Maine will be celebrating the same message as St. John’s and every Christian church on that day.
As we proceed through this last Lent, we are reminded how we will miss St. John’s, but we are grateful to have been led here by God. In the last twelve years, our faith has been deepened, and we have learned the real meaning of Christian community, both in Washington and around the world.
And we will not leave St. John’s, as this church will always be in our hearts. We will take the people and life of St. John’s with us on the path of our own spiritual growth—and trust that we will see them again in that last new home.
–Robin Webber