Fellowship of Believers

I was told last night that today is a NATIONAL HOLIDAY. Someone we know turns 14 today. I won't name names . . . but I think you know!



Easter is just a few short days away. You know, most preachers get more nervous about the Easter Sunday sermon than any other of the year. The reasons are obvious: each year, we tell the same story. And each year, the same crowd shows up (some of whom, sadly, we haven't seen since Easter last year!) It's a challenge to us to think of a new way to tell an old story, to think up some gimmick that will wow the crowd, will drive the message home, or will simply not embarrass us.

Which must be why many of the preaching commentaries warn preachers about letting their method get in the way of their message:

Easter is an opportunity for preachers to lay bare the good news of Jesus Christ and get out of the way. Too often, preachers, in their well intended desire to create "dynamic" sermons, inadvertently prevent listeners from hearing about the resurrection power of Christ. Like some commercials during the Super Bowl - everyone remembers the humorous content but nobody remembers the product advertised - so too our sermons can become entertaining discourses without any clear, convicting message about the life-giving and life-changing power of Christ. -- Charles Reeb

Here's hoping we'll hear The Message loud and clear this Sunday, no matter what the preacher says!




Speaking of this Sunday, we'll have the Easter Egg Hunt at 9:45 with the little ones. We'll need a few expert egg-hiders earlier, so if you've got a cotton tail and/or floppy ears, be sure to show up.




We also will decorate our Living Cross this Sunday. Please bring fresh flowers to adorn the cross - it's always such a beautiful part of our Easter!





The Anniversary Celebration is just a few days away! Next Sunday, April 11th, is the Important Day! We'll have a Special Worship Service at 10:30 with Nathan and Doug, and we'll have a reception Sunday afternoon, 2 - 5 p.m. Make plans to be there, and to invite someone to share this great day with us!

A couple of prayer concerns: Joe Henry continues to recover well from his surgery last Friday. And Carolyn Baxter will have foot surgery this Thursday. Please keep both of these in your prayers.

I'll see you Sunday!
Tracy