It is a new time. We are in a season of uncharted territory. Normally in late April and early May we are commenting on and looking for the first flowers of spring to pop their heads as a reminder of new life – a reminder of Easter Sunday and the resurrection. But this year with 80 degree temperatures early on Mother Nature is ahead of herself with all the spring flowers having already popped – crocuses, daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, magnolias, pink almond bushes, redbuds, and a host of others who usually emerge in a fixed rotation all arrived early this year – and it seems we have emerged into summer and lawn mowing early this year too. Indeed a new time has arrived.

In the church this new time, the new season that has emerged, is experienced through the Sundays of Easter which follow Easter Sunday and that lead us up to Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the church on Sunday, May 27. It is a time to discern the Easter message and resurrection in order to begin to comprehend what it means in our individual life as well as our corporate life as the church. The Spirit is like the warm weather that drives the flowers from their slumber into their full beautiful potential. Similarly this time in the church calendar encourages each of us to awake from our slumber and to begin living anew filled with the Spirit, filled with the love of God in our minds, in our hearts, and in our words and actions – full of the beautiful potential that God has planted deep within each of us. Is the journey easy? Probably not - as it is for each flower, it is likely very hard moving the hard crust of dirt that rests upon us so that we can open our leaves anew and blossom – yet what a wondrous journey and result. In the coming weeks we invite you to shake off the dust of the winter months and to be refreshed in Christ’s word and share God’s love in the community of the church.

May you blossom as you have never blossomed before! We look forward to sharing the Sundays of Easter together with you.

Peace & Blessings