Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!”—John 20:18
Friends, these last few weeks as we journeyed out of Lent and into Easter were unforgettable. I am thankful for the many volunteers who made holy space for people to encounter God during an emotional Holy Week and a joyful Easter Sunday. We celebrated with tears and laughter and with confetti and cascarones. We also remembered Mary Magdalene, the Tower, who stayed in her grief long enough to hear the Risen Christ speak her name just outside the tomb. She didn’t rush to fix her sorrow. She stayed with it. And the Risen Christ met her there.
This month, I invite you to do the same. Let the month of May be a season of staying—staying connected, staying open, staying ready to be surprised by resurrection hope. Even though, we will not have worship services on May 4, many of us will be cheering our members who are participating in the Pittsburgh Marathon, raising money for many of our community partners who serve our neighbors in need. On the following Sundays, we will be ordaining and affirming our new Elders and Deacons, receiving new members and friends in the church, and celebrating our youth in worship.
People of God, the resurrection was never meant to be a one-day celebration. It’s a way of life, a refusal to allow death and injustice have the last word. Resurrection is a bold declaration that love still rises. As we worship, serve, and live out our callings, I hope you’ll keep your eyes open for holy moments in ordinary places. Spread joy. Fight for justice. Carry confetti in your pockets and courage in your spiritual bones. Lift up those around you by speaking their names with tender love, and let’s make resurrection real in our world.
May it be so.
—Pastor Michael