Dear First Pres,
Happy Easter! It was certainly a happy day for me. What a joy to see so many folks in our parking lot for our 10:45 worship celebration! Did you get sunburned? I did. But it was worth it. I’m so grateful for the many folks who helped to make our outdoor service possible. It was a wonderful experience. And, for those of you who watched online. I trust you wondered, “Is Jeremy ever going to cut his hair?” But much more importantly, I trust you experienced the joy of our Risen Lord in the wonderful time of worship. Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed!
It’s harder to know with our online service, but one of the things I loved about our outdoor worship service is that we had many newcomers. I thank God for the way you invited others. I’m sure many you invited said, “No thank you,” but some said, “Sure.” There they were, experiencing the best of who we are as a congregation and hearing the gospel proclaimed in song, prayer, testimony, and sermon. We can be certain that the Lord worked in the midst of that. So, my prayer this week (not just for newcomers) has been, “Lord, bring them back.” Of course, a lot can happen between Sundays. So, if you had a friend or family member join you in worship at Easter, I encourage you to follow up with them this week. Ask, “What was that like for you?” or “How would you feel about joining us this coming Sunday?” or “What are your thoughts on the message we heard?” These can be great conversation starters if they are asked in humility and love.
But for all of us who are beginning to come back to in-person worship on Sunday mornings, I want to encourage you to take advantage of the time between services. A wonderful group of women in our congregation have organized a very simple gathering space in our courtyard for you to Fill Your Cup between services. There will, of course, be coffee to fill your cup. But it will also be an opportunity to fill your cup relationally with the Body of Christ. So many of us have been tremendously isolated for the last 12 months. Fill Your Cup is designed to provide a hospitable space for people (newcomers & longtimers) to simply connect. So, if you come for the Classic service at 9, I encourage you to stick around. And, if you come for the Modern service at 10:45, I encourage you to come early.
Finally, I hope you are hearing the message about Growth Groups. This is a brand new initiative in our congregation to help people grow in relationship with Christ and one another. A Growth Group is a community of 5 - 12 folks who are committed to a weekly gathering to study God’s Word, pray together and encourage one another in faith. One of the things that will connect all the Growth Groups will be the common focus on the upcoming sermon Scripture. The Growth Groups leadership team is convinced, from personal experience, that studying the Scripture before the sermon helps us more deeply engage on Sunday morning and beyond. So, you can either repurpose your existing group to become a Growth Group, launch a new Growth Group, or join one of the upcoming open Growth Groups. Either way, we’d love for you to head to the website and register. You can find information here.
Blessings,
Jeremy Vaccaro
P.S. It’s a Communion Sunday this week. For those of you watching online, make sure you have something to eat and drink.
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