A funny thing happened at work this morning.  Okay, it wasn't all that funny, but I couldn't keep from smiling.  let's just bask in glory of this day, this day that I submitted the final paper of my seminary career.  Yes, friends, we are the champions!

As the disciples tried to make sense of the news of Easter morning, Mr. Up From the Grave appears to them.  I've seen too many movies in my lifetime to think that I would have just stood there merely frightened and doubting like the rest of the disciples.  No, before Ghost Man Jesus has enough time to say, "Boo!" I'd be long gone.

I am not completely finished with seminary, yet.  Oh, but I can smell it.  Or is that.....

Rose City Park is a United Methodist Church in Portland whose name you probably never knew before.  If so, I would think you are in company with many, many, many other people.  Well, unless you haven't heard of them lately.  Many, many, many people have been introduced to the "other place to be on Sunday."  I am not quite sure what that means.

The thing is, Rose Park has this marquis.  God bless the pastor because he tries to keep corny church stuff off of it!  In fact, one of his most recent message in a marquis brought the church a lot of attention.  Look at the image above and see if you can guess why?

My opinion?  I. LOVE. IT.  I love it so much I was willing to do the annoying period after every word sentence.  You see, I love it so much I'm willing to be annoying--oh, the life my poor wife must live.  If I wasn't moving soon, I would probably steal it and put it on Oak Haven's trusty marquis.  I say if I wasn't moving because not everyone is willing to go all annoying like me.  They just want to be hateful.  Sorry. That was tacky.

What do you think of the sign?  What does it say to you?  What church sign message do you remember most?  Make it a good one so I can go change ours soon.  Right now it only says, "Peace be with you."

Gifts abound at Easter time.  Now, I can live with chocolate bunnies--chocolate anything really.  Perhaps we wrap our smaller gifts of candy, trinkets and pocket change in a variety of decorated plastic eggs.  And, of course, many of us gift ourselves with the perfect Easter outfit(s).

Those gifts are okay, but the gifts God has given us for Easter are far superior.  They are 1) the peace of God 2) the Spirit of God and 3) The mission of God.  Those are all the gifts we need.  What's best about those gifts is that they are given when we need them the most.  Jesus first offered them to the fearful disciples locked in a room.  Christ comes to our rooms, too, and offers us the same.

Where do you need peace?  That's where Christ shows up.

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If I were in the habit of telling jokes in my sermons, I would soooo want to find a way to fit this one in:

Question: What does a nosy pepper do?
Answer: Gets jalapeno business!

Well, at least there are still Bible studies, meetings and blessings before meals.  Just pretend you didn't hear this one.

Here is a great quote about mission work.  I read it from a resource our United Methodist Women used recently.  I sure wish more of us could let this sink in.

We learn that mission is not about me giving to you--it is about recognizing God's image in the other as we walk together.

Until we get over ourselves, though, I don't think we'll ever quite get that.  Thanks, UMW, for helping us remember something important.

Our Resurrection Sunday revolved around the theme that in Christ's Resurrection there is always hope.  As long as Christ is risen, there is hope.  We repeated that several times Easter morning, both early in the day and at our usual worship time.

What about you?  What was your Easter worship experience?  How do you feel your church celebrated the Risen Lord?


Here is my Easter sermon; it is entitled Where There Are Tears There is Hope.  The sermon focuses on Mary Magdalene's weeping outside the empty tomb, and remembers another story of someone weeping at a friend's death.

++If you are reading by email or news reader, click here to listen to the sermon.++