Dear Church Family Members,
Have you ever placed yourself in the role of one of the first visitors to Jesus’ tomb early on that Sunday morning? Let’s travel back about 2,000 years to Jerusalem…
Imagine having stood at the foot of the cross on Friday and watched Jesus writhe in pain, with blood dripping from his brow, and others standing near you shouting insults to your helpless friend and teacher. After what seemed like an eternity, but was really only a few hours, all the hopes and dreams you had as a follower and friend of Jesus appeared to have disappeared, for Jesus was dead. You now flee the area in fear that you, because of your relationship with Jesus, will be the next to die on a cross. Other followers of Jesus join you in a secluded place and you learn that Jesus’ body was hurriedly removed from the cross and placed in an empty tomb before sunset, so the Jewish Sabbath could be properly observed. .. What a long day Saturday was; but it was helpful to know that you would be able to go to the tomb on Sunday morning and perform the last 
loving deed for your Master, by properly preparing his body for final burial… Early Sunday you and a small group of friends gather the necessary materials and walk to the tomb, on the way discussing how you will be able to get into the tomb since it had been sealed. .. Imagine the fear and confusion when you find an empty tomb and hear an angel say, “He is not here.” …It was only in the ensuing hours and days that you came to understand what that empty tomb really meant.
Several years later, the Apostle Paul wrote: “Christ has been raised from death as a guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised. … Death gets its power to hurt from sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! So then, …stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord’s service is ever useless.” (1 Corinthians 15:20, 56-58 TEV)
The fear the first empty-tomb-visitors experienced has been transformed into joy. We no longer have to fear the grave, for Christ lives!
May this Easter be a day of joy as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. An Easter Offering envelope is enclosed in the letter mailed to you. Please mail it back with your special gift to our church for Easter. While we will not worship together in person at the church again this year due to the Covid pandemic, pre-recorded audio services for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday will be available on the church’s website. It is my hope and prayer that it will soon be safe for all of us to worship together at the church.
Happy Easter,
Rev. Martha A. Dominy