What Comes After Easter?

Easter at Plymouth was a very good day. It was a reminder of what it means to be the Church. There was excitement in the air. We shared a meal together. We practiced hospitality and welcomed guests, including children. We sang and prayed together. We gathered at the Communion Table and experienced God’s presence. We celebrated New Life. It was a very good day to be the Church.

The temptation is to walk away smiling, while at the same time thinking to ourselves, “Yes, but that is the exception. Next Sunday the crowds will be gone and it will be back to normal.” It is true the numbers will probably be lower. But the essence of what we experienced is not dependent on numbers alone. We can still share excitement when we gather together. We can still eat meals together. We can still practice hospitality and welcome guests. We can still sing and pray together. We can still gather at the Table. We can still experience God’s presence. We can still celebrate New Life! Easter was a more dramatic than usual reminder of what it means to be the Church. And it is good to have such experiences. But the story doesn’t end there. The experience doesn’t stop being true just because the head count goes down. We are still the Church. God is still present. We still have a message to proclaim and a mission to fulfill. It was fun to worship with you on Easter morning. I look forward to continuing to worship with you on the other Sundays as well.

- Pastor Roger 
  (keeping my feet firmly planted in the flow)