Long-Awaited Celebration of Community

Long-Awaited Celebration of Community
By Dr. Dock Hollingsworth, Senior Pastor

Easter Sunday! This is the day! The entire Christian year marches to the miracle of an empty tomb. For many, it’s a day of hats and eggs and lunch reservations. For the Christian, who takes time to enter the mystery, it is the most life-changing service of the year. “Behold, all things become new…”

There is no way to have a bad Easter. Pouring rain, bad sermon, long wait at lunch…still, it is Easter! Your staff is working hard to just get out of the way on Easter and let the magic happen.

Still, we plan.

Part of our planning this year includes a long-awaited celebration of community. Across the past two years, several new members have joined our church, but we have not had opportunity to greet them. It is our tradition that new members come to the front of the church during the Hymn of Response and present themselves for membership. After the service, a long line forms to smile and shake and hug and greet and welcome. It is a way of saying, “You are one of us; welcome to the family.” But for two pandemic years, we’ve suspended the tradition. This Easter, at the closing hymn, those new members are coming forward and I am going to reintroduce them to you. We will form the warm line of welcome and greet each one before going out to enjoy lemonade together on the plaza. I can’t wait!

By the way, I know that some of you have been visiting for a while and wondering the right time for joining your life with ours. Wouldn’t this Easter be a great occasion? You could take your place in this joyful Sunday lineup. Get in touch with one of your ministers if you have questions about this next step. I can’t wait – He is Risen Indeed!