By Greg Yee, Superintendent, Pacific Northwest Conference
“Christ is arisen…He’s arisen indeed…mind-blowing!” Happy Resurrection Sunday! There are so many different ways we communicate today, but God’s message has been timeless. He is our loving Father who relentlessly pursues us. Before the foundations of the earth were laid down, it has been his desire for us to be his family (Eph 1:4-6). We’ve just walked Holy Week and remembered the suffering, torture, and death our Lord willingly endured. The three days from Good Friday to Easter morning didn’t just change history, it literally changed the universe. A couple of months later, the Holy Spirit empowers the birth of the church and all of this put into motion the next chapter in missio dei, the mission of God. He gives birth to the church and calls her to be the vehicle of his ongoing work of salvation. It has been specifically through the church that this redemptive work has poured out – lost…saved, diseased…healed, oppressed…justice realized, hatred…reconciled, brokenness…shalom established. Today is a grand day of celebration – the highest point in the church calendar and for Creation. It is also a day that we remember that we, the church, re-confess our faith and commitment anew and say “Yes!” to our Lord. Yes, we give you our lives! Yes we are your Church! Yes, we give ourselves to your work in the world. Yes, Christ is arisen!