Thursday, March 31, 2005

being a pastor at easter

Opawa as a church gives a lot of life away at Easter
a) we run the Easter Journey, an interactive art installation. It involves about 60 volunteers setting up, welcoming, offering hot cross buns and cups of tea. This year over 1,000 people walked the journey. It’s a very significant outward, mission event. (Some photos of previous years are here. Other photos are on the front cover of Dan Kimball’s, Emerging Worship).
b) we encourage our young people to attend Easter Camp and they do.
c) Opawa folk help behind the scenes at Easter Camp. Providing meals for 2,700 people is a huge task and the camp kitchens are full of Opawa people. It’s a gift of love and service for the people of God in their (youth) mission of God.
d) and then there is the simple fact that Easter in New Zealand is the last big holiday break before winter. So a lot of Opawa people who work really hard Monday-Friday, need the grace that is the encouragement of Sabbath rest, of taking a break to refresh and recharge.

So all in all, a lot of energy goes out of the church.

And it means that on Easter Sunday morning I, and the only 2 musicians still around, struggle to inject Risen, Christ life into our worship. And the 3 young adults, visiting for Easter Sunday, look around. And with our youth group away for Easter, it’s like “hmmm, not many people like me in this place.”

Part of the pastor in me wants to say, “folks, Easter is like the high point of the year. Stick around. Make it a priority.” The other part of the pastor in me wants to cheer and go, “wow, so much life given in mission.” Such are my Easter dilemnas.

Posted by steve at 01:56 PM

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