March 12, 2021
Dear Prairie Avenue Family,
The lilac bush in our back yard is loaded with buds and beginning to open as daylight increases each day. Our daffodils are up, and the dead yard is beginning to show patches of green (likely weeds, but I'll take it!). There are signs of spring coming all around us, and it is looking hopeful that this Easter season will be more "traditional" in the sense that we will be in-person.
Speaking of in-person, we offer three scheduled services for those who are ready to return. You must wear a mask to enter, but can remove it when you are seated in our social-distance marked pews. Come on Saturday at 5 pm, or Sunday mornings at either 8 am or 9:30 am.
This past week, the cameras for livestream broadcast were installed in the sanctuary balcony. We are still tweaking and adjusting the feed to provide a quality broadcast, but it is anticipated that each service will be shared as simulcast to Facebook Live and our website channel next week. Thanks to Wayne Rutherford, of Rutherford Photovideo, we will have a permanent studio to broadcast with exceptional quality our sanctuary services.
Worship This Week: What's Wrong with Religion? The Answer for Arrogance is Openness
Religion gives us a framework to work and build our life for purpose and work. With confidence, we can seek to understand the world, our relationships with one another and assist neighbors in need. It gives us confidence, but it should not make us closed minded and arrogant. When we think we know all the answers, we often no longer ask any questions, or evaluate new information. Strangely, we all things are settled, the easier it is to discover how incomplete our answers are.
The opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty. When we are certain, we no longer examine. When we no longer examine, we criticize and feel it is our duty to tell others not to examine either. Many Christians become so certain they no longer seek God. They have every confidence in themselves.
An open mind is not an empty one. Nor is it a threat to explore scripture, draw from traditions, examine experiences, and to use reason to evaluate. There are core values in Christianity, namely, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is our answer. We do not need to believe in a literal interpretation of scripture for this. Good religion gives us permission to question, to seek, to find, and to discern. Jesus never asked us to know how the world was made, he expected us to make it better. We are called to have faith, hope, and love, rather than closed minds and certainty.
Join me in worship on our website, Facebook at 9:30 am, or in-person at 5 pm Saturday, 8 am Sunday, or 9:30 am Sunday.
Daylight Saving Time Begins Saturday Night
Whether you choose to worship in person or online, make sure that you set you clocks ahead Saturday night so you’re not an hour late!
Easter Season Update
We will have both in-person and online services for Easter on April 4. This is anticipated to be our return to both congregational and music ensemble singing in our sanctuary. Make plans to invite someone for worship with us!
See you this weekend,
Blessings to you all,
