Spring is here. Trees are announcing the arrival of the new season. Plants and bushes that don’t lose all their leaves or color are becoming more vibrant as new growth is beginning to show. For many people, spring is on display through itchy eyes and a runny nose. But spring isn’t just for runny noses. Spring is exciting.
I love the newness of spring. It gives hope. In spring it seems that anything is possible. In spring the days get longer and the sun seems to shine brighter through the cobalt blue of the sky. The weather is getting warmer allowing for more time outdoors. Spring is a time of new life and renewed hope.
The same is true of Easter. The first people to arrive at the tomb experienced the incredible display of God’s power and Jesus’ victory! The stone was rolled away and the tomb was EMPTY. They learned from the angel who was there – ‘He’s not here, He has risen!’
Jesus’ victory is your victory. That is why Easter is the high point of the church year. That is why we gather each week on Sunday, celebrating a mini-Easter as we remember what Jesus did for us.
April 16 is Easter and we will rejoice! The days leading up to Easter include Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Easter begins with the Sunrise service at Christ the Life at 7:00 AM and continues with a 10:00 AM celebration at Mount Olive where we will lift high the name of Jesus because He overcame death and the grave and promises hope and a future with Him to all who believe.
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John 6:47
Truly I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.
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Leading up to Easter is a busy time for the church. Mount Olive is very busy with more than an extra service each week. We have added a new floor to the CLC. A new co-ed program is being introduced to Body & Soul. The annual Milpitas Cares is coming soon. We will host a Compassion Sunday at the end of April. And early next month we will have a town hall meeting to discuss what the congregational vision task force has been doing. Plus regular ministries of discipleship, fellowship, mission, and service… youth ministries, children’s ministries, and more.
All this activity is about ONE thing. Jesus. The programs, ministries, meetings, services, gatherings… are all about Jesus – who He is, what He did, and why it matters. It matters for eternity that people know Him. What we do is to connect people to Jesus and sustain the connected.
Happy Easter!
Pastor John