Rooted, Growing, and Branching Out in God's Love

Easter Sunday-Virtual Worship-April 4, 2021

Dear St. John’s Friends and Family,

Alleluia!  Christ is Risen!!  The tomb is empty!  Praise the Lord! 

When the women went to the tomb and found it to be empty, it probably felt too good to be true.  And it still feels too good to be true.  The proclamation that Jesus defeated death is amazing!  What does this mean for us?  It means that sin and death no longer have power over us.  It means that Jesus broke down every barrier that separated us from God.  It means that we get to be in relationship with God and nothing can separate us from the precious presence of God.  We are never alone!  We belong to God and God has redeemed us.  And this truth isn’t just true for today, it is true for everyday of our life now and for eternity.  Today we celebrate Christ’s resurrection and the gift of a life of eternity in glory where there is no more suffering.  There is so much that this day means for us.  What does it mean for you?

Not only do we celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the dead, we are also celebrating a return to worship in our sanctuary.  It’s been a year since we have worshipped in our sanctuary!  Even though we are returning to the sanctuary, we will continue to worship online and broadcast over the radio on Sunday mornings.  If you are worshipping online this morning and live in the Texas City area and would like to partake of Holy Communion, please contact the church office.  We will either bring Holy Communion to you or you can come to the church and partake of Holy Communion in the sanctuary during the week.

We are also dedicating the John Scoggin Butterfly Garden at 10:30 this morning.  I hope that you get a chance to come by the church and see it!  Butterflies are an amazing sign of God’s transformation in our life and of eternal life.  And we are so excited to see all the beautiful butterflies that the garden will attract!

We worship a God of life!  Even in the midst of death and despair, God is working for our good and leading us to abundant life in this world and beyond death!  This is the good news!  God gave Jesus for all to believe and have eternal life!  God gives the Holy Spirit so that we experience life abundant here, now, today!  God is with us and is worthy of all praise, all honor, all that we have to give!  Surrender all to God in this moment and worship with all that you are!  For Christ our King has conquered death and defeated the grave!  Alleluia!! Alleluia!!  Alleluia!!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Stephanie