JOURNEYS IN GRACE

Dear Beloved Community of God at Echo Park UMC:

Several years ago, Tony Campolo preached a sermon for Good Friday entitled: It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming! 

As followers of Jesus, we understand what Campolo is saying, and we trust that he is correct. Our faith teaches us that the cross does not have the final word. After all, the gospel story does not conclude with a decaying corpse inside a sealed tomb. It merely pauses for a few days until the resurrected Jesus bursts forth again on Sunday morning and God’s story of salvation begins anew.

Of course, as Campolo and we know all too well, the world does not yet live in the fullness of Christ’s resurrection. We still experience suffering and death, disease and violence, fear and hatred, arrogance and greed. And so, we are left to hope for that day that has not yet arrived when the words of Revelation 21:3-4 finally come true:

Look! God’s dwelling is here with humankind. God will dwell with them, and they will be God’s peoples. God will be with them as their God. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more. There will be no mourning, crying, or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

It may not be Friday, but it’s not yet Sunday! We are stuck in that Saturday in-between time when the terrors of this world remain all too real, even though we desperately strive to believe and trust that resurrection is imminent.

In truth, the only thing that can carry us through this in-between time is faith. Faith is not merely a matter of believing with our minds. It is much more than an absence of doubt. Faith is an act of the will. It is a decision to live our lives as though the promise of resurrection is real – as though Sunday is indeed coming. This is what an authentic Christian life is really all about. It’s about choosing to risk everything that we are and have to follow Jesus, trusting that God is transforming our world for good through the power of resurrection.

I invite you to join us in worship on Sunday, April 1. We will celebrate the resurrection in English at 10:30 a.m. and in Spanish at 2:30 p.m. This will be a special time filled with joyful singing, faithful prayers, and inspiring proclamation. How could it be otherwise? For on this day, we clearly affirm our faith both that Christ is risen and that we have life in him!

We will be taking a special offering during our worship services of resurrection to help us continue our essential work of reaching out to our community (both housed and un-housed), struggling for justice, work for the fullness of peace, and creating an inclusive community that opens its hearts, minds, and doors to all whom God sends its way. We invite you to give prayerful consideration to making a special Easter gift to this congregation in celebration of God’s great promise of resurrection.

May God bless you now and always,

Pastor Frank

---

PALM / PASSION SUNDAY—March 25

Procession with Palms: 10:15 a.m.

(Gather in front of 1326 N. Alvarado Street—near Vons)

Worship and Praise in English: 10:30 a.m.

(In the Sanctuary)

Worship and Praise in Spanish: 2:30 p.m.

(In Hild Chapel)

MAUNDY THURSDAY—March 29, 7:00 p.m.

Service of Communion based on the Passover Seder

(In the Basement Dining Hall)

GOOD FRIDAY—March 30, 7:00 p.m.

Multi-cultural Worship Service

based on THE SEVEN LAST WORDS OF JESUS

With Echo Park UMC, Dong San KMC, La Conexion Church

(In the Sanctuary)

EASTER SUNDAY—April 1

Easter Fundraising Breakfast: 8:00-10:00 a.m.

Sponsored by the United Methodist Men—$5  per person

(In the Basement Dining Hall)

Service of Resurrection in English: 10:30 a.m.

(In the Sanctuary)

Service of Resurrection in Spanish: 2:30 a.m.

(In the Hild Chapel)