Christ is Risen!

Perhaps the Church is Rising.

 

A message from Rev. Alison Dingley

 

I attended the Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services at St. Elizabeth's and was struck by the Good Friday sermon Canon Sandy Graham preached there. He shared his reflections on having been serving in Lower Manhattan during and after the 9/11 attacks. He remarked that church attendance and participation grew in the aftermath for churches which observed Lent and Holy Week.

Since then, everyone I've talked with since Easter morning who participated in church life has remarked at how full their churches were this year and the energy in the their congregations. I know that was true at Holy Nativity. It was also true at St. Matthew's where we had a full church—more people than

I could count.

We are living in horrifying and terrifying times. Regular, hard working people worry about how to get by, day by day. Nationally, globally, and in the weather, we don't know what will happen from one day to the next. Religious platitudes, or divisive apocalyptic messages do not help in these times.

I believe people are responding to a faith that walks the path of Jesus to the cross and beyond. Even if we cannot articulate that very well, by living it liturgically and being present with those who are suffering, we bring the risen Christ into our world, in solidarity with our neighbors who are hurt, scared and angry.



I hope and pray that we can endure that mission and ministry as our world continues to be crazy, uncertain and scary, and that we will continue to serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves.

 

I wish us all a blessed Easter.

Alison+