Dear Ginghamsburg Church Family,

This weekend is Easter!!! It’s going to be beautiful, inspiring and hope-filled! But first, I want to remind you that today is Good Friday. It was on Friday of Holy Week when Jesus was tried before Pontius Pilate, beaten, sentenced to death and crucified. He died at 3pm. I’d like to encourage you right now to pause and pray as we mark the death of Jesus. You may want to read Luke 23:26-56, where Luke recounts Jesus’ crucifixion.

Why Good Friday is ‘good” is because death is not God’s final word! Easter is the assurance that nothing can ever take God’s love from us. The world crucified Jesus, but God raised him from the dead. And the words of Jesus are, “Because I live, you shall live also.”

That’s why every follower of Jesus and every church should approach Easter and the entire Easter season as a carnival of hope and joy. In the book, Easter Changes Everything, author Frederica Mathewes-Green shares how she once received this note from a Jewish friend at Christmas: “The big celebration in Christianity should be Easter. No Easter, no Christianity. So, all the focus on Christmas, at least to me, seems misdirected. Why Christians don't whoop it up more at Easter is a mystery to me now. How inspirational! How joyful! That is the time to toast each other, lay on gifts, attend worship services, pack in the rich food. Easter is something really substantial and holy to remember!”

My sisters and brothers, let the carnival of hope and joy begin! Celebrate Easter! Celebrate boldly, loudly, and passionately. The resurrection of Christ is everything! Never forget YOU are hope-radiating, Easter people and I’m grateful to be your senior pastor.

Love always,

Dennis Miller