Easter season is fifty days, stretching to (and including) the festival of Pentecost. A theme is the gift of the Holy Spirit – the power of the resurrection of Christ to give new life, gathering together the assembly we call “church.” Above is an image of the beautiful Basilica of St Francis in Italy. Francis is considered patron of the poor, and is also associated with ecology. What do Christians emphasize these days? What does it mean to be the church at this time, centered on God’s word, table and font? Here’s a few plans:
- In our liturgy we are using a special thanksgiving prayer of baptism and plainsong chant. We’ll be hearing from 1 Peter, about the church’s association with exiles. We’re also using a new series of first readings taken from the Old Testament (rather than the New Testament book of Acts), which is part of a way to counteract anti-Judaism. You can read more here.
- Our Called to Care partner for extra giving will be the Ecumenical Hunger Program. We share bread and wine together at the sanctuary table, and we share our resources with struggling people in our area.
- Our reflection on the meaning of church also includes the particular calling or vocation of First Lutheran. Where does our path lead? The council invites you to join the conversation.
- We are planning some community building events, such as a young adult dinner (May 1) and game night. For Happy Hour Book Group, let’s get ecumenical and read (American) Pope Leo’s exhortation “to all Christians” on love for the poor.
