April Letter from PJ

Dear Friends,




Greetings to you in the powerful name of Jesus the Christ!



There seemed little reason for celebration and joy that Sunday morning after Good Friday. The women who went to the tomb early in the morning were still finding it hard to believe that their son, their friend, their Jesus was dead. No doubt they were recalling the many times they had spent together. Times like when Jesus changed the water into wine or when he was also overcome with grief at the death of his friend Lazarus, or when he calmed the storm or…. So many memories and so many hopes of what could have been had Jesus not died. But was God done? Was death to have the final word?



God was not done! God acted on that Sunday morning and brought life where there was death. God acted and brought joy and wonderment where there was grief and dispair. God acted and now we have a reason to CELEBRATE!! God acted and has touched our hearts in such a way that we can not be silent! Friends it is time to CELEBRATE and it is time to invite others to the CELEBRATION! This is what the women did that first Easter.



“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but he has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again. Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this…” Luke 24:5-9



They could not keep it to themselves! They had to share what it was that they had seen and heard! What have you seen? What is your story of how God is still at work in your life and in the lives of all people? “I love to tell the story of Of unseen things above, Of Jesus and His glory, Of Jesus and His love.” Let’s be like those women on that first Easter morning and invite people to come and see. Come and see that the tomb is empty – Christ lives! Come and see that death does not have the final word! Come and see that Jesus is ALIVE! Come and join the CELEBRATION!!!



In Christ,



Pastor Jim (P.J.)



P.S. Starting in April I will be visiting members of Atonement in your homes, at your places of work, at the church or some other location. I will start with those who noted they would like a visit on the United 2 Serve question sheet and then work through the membership list starting with the A’s. These visits are for several reasons: to get to know you better, hear from you about your hopes for Atonement’s future and talk with you about our 50th Anniversary Celebration. See you soon!



In Christ,



Pastor Jim (P.J.)