The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! Oh the Easter call has gone out! Resurrection is the name of the story and we are people living into resurrection hope. After all, we are Moravians, the Easter people.
The people who stand outside in cemeteries before the sun has broken the horizon proclaiming that Christ has defeated death and has no power over us. As Easter approaches the possibilities for new life surround us in so many ways. The earth turns green, and flowers pop up. Songbirds return and sing out the hallelujahs of God’s creation. Ducklings hatch from their eggs and dot the land with fluffy yellow spots running about.
As a church, we transition into this season of Easter by adding our own voices to the outdoor resurrection celebration. Outdoor worship services begin at 11AM on Easter Sunday, April 4. New life, new energy resurrection power in full display. There are going to be more opportunities to gather together outdoors
as the weather changes and we use some creativity to be with one another safely and reconnect. We can connect not only with one another, but with the area around us as well. Over the past year, I have been gathering with clergy across the Northern Province on Wednesday mornings to talk, share, and support one another. One of the ideas that has come up several times from a fellow clergy Sister in Christ is doing “Walk Abouts.” What Rev. Mandy Mastros and the Lancaster Moravian Church is a simple thing with a big impact on their community and ministry. On the third Sunday of the month, a small group of people gather at their home location and walk about the downtown of Lancaster. They allow the Spirit to guide them and stop in locations to pray: in front of the jail, in front of the school, near the hospital, wherever it is that they feel called. Along the way, they greet people. They engage in conversation and connect with one another and offer to pray for them. People now recognize them and know where they are from and what they are doing.
What an easy but transformative ministry and mission action. I presented this to the Joint Board at our March meeting, and it was immediately affirmed as something we should start doing. What transformation might we see in our own ministry if we would begin doing this? Would we see more of God’s resurrection power take place around us? I am sure we would! So, join me. On the 3rd Sunday of the
month after worship. We will walk, we will pray. We will be transformed ourselves and experience what
God’s Spirit is calling us into for this Easter season.