This Sunday (May 15) is the Day of Pentecost. Don’t forget to wear red when you come to worship this Sunday as we celebrate and share the gift of the Holy Spirit giving birth to the church.

This Sunday (May 8) is Mother’s Day so I want to begin by sharing a word of appreciation for all the faithful women who bless the lives of children with love, with play, and with a ferocious desire to keep them from harm and danger. If she is still with you, it is a good day to bring your mom to church!

As the Apostle Paul says of the early believers in Ephesus, so I say of you, “I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you…” (Ephesians 1:16-18)

The Gospel is really good news because not offered to people as a choice. Rather, God comes to us unchosen, unbidden. No one chose to go and find the risen Christ. He appeared. In a world that may be suffering from over choice, God chooses us because of His love for us. And that’s Good News!

If you or someone you know haven’t been in “earshot” of the Shepherd’s Voice in a while, this might be a very good Sunday to make your way back.

The Gospel reading for this Sunday tells of a meeting between Jesus and Peter by the Sea of Galilee (here called the Sea of Tiberias) sometime after the resurrection. You’ll find the episode in John 21:1-19. It is the story of a moment that forever changed Peter’s life. I encourage you to read it and ask what God is saying to you in this episode.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Alleluia. Did you know that Easter is a season and not just a day? This year our Easter celebration continues through the whole month of April and doesn’t conclude until May 8, the 7th Sunday of Easter. Why is Easter a seven week season? Good question.

“Christ is risen. He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” come Easter morning as we share the good news that God’s love has triumphed over the human capacity for hate, that in Christ life has triumphed over the power death, that forgiveness wins out over the guilt of our sins, and that for those who believe, all is never ever lost.