Pastor Brian's Blog

Easter is a celebration of new life in Christ.  We have many ways of representing it.  One example is the contrast between darkness and light.  On Good Friday, we read the story of Jesus’ suffering and death, gradually extinguishing candles until the sanctuary is dim with shadows.  This darkness reminds us that the Light of the World was hidden from sight while Christ was in the tomb.  Then on Easter Sunday, in the dim light of morning before the 8:30 a.m. service, we gather in the garden around a fire that began with just a spark.  We light a brand new Paschal candle from that fire.  The solemnity of Good Friday succumbs to the celebration of singing “Alleluia” on Easter Sunday.  Another example of representing new life in Christ on Easter is flowers.  We decorate the Sanctuary with colorful tulips and fragrant white lilies.  These plants grow from ugly gnarled bulbs, which look devoid of all life when planted in soil...

The first stories of Jesus’ resurrection take place in the morning light.   Matthew says it was “at dawn” (Matthew 28:1).   Mark says it was “very early…just after sunrise” (Mark 16:2).   Luke says it was “very early in the morning” (Luke 24:1).   Christ’s resurrection comes with the hope of a new day. The same light shines through the stained glass windows in the east wall of the Sanctuary.   The three lancet windows show three main stages of Jesus’ life: his birth (left), his passion (middle), and his resurrection (right).   In the weeks following Easter Sunday, Pastor Brian will lead a new series called “Light of Life.”   It is inspired by the resurrection windows of the east wall.   Rather than attempting a realistic depiction of the risen Christ, the colored panes make use of metaphorical and mythological symbols of resurrection and eternal life, including a lamp, a phoenix, a pomegranate, and a butterfly.   On Confirmation ...

Dear Friends in Christ, Prayer is like a humidifier.   You can get along without it, but it makes life more pleasant and comfortable.   Here’s what I mean.   If you have forced air heating in your house, then the air is probably drier during the cooler months than it is at other times of the year.    When I started using a humidifier a couple of months ago, I immediately noticed a difference.   The air was more refreshing.   My skin was not as dry.   And my indoor plants didn’t droop as much. Likewise, there are benefits to praying, such as relief from anxiety, pain, and depression.   According to Burke Lennihan, prayer can also help your creativity, intuition, and inner peace. 1 Henri Nouwen says that prayer deepens our awareness of God’s goodness, and it cultivates a spirit of gratitude.   Thankfulness sets us free from seeing our commitments as burdens, and it allows us to offer ourselves freely and fully fo...