And the Congregation Said, "Christ Is Risen!  He Is Risen Indeed!"

This is our Watchword during the Easter Season - a call to refocus our efforts, our priorities, our families, our lives, on experiencing the presence of the resurrected Lord Jesus. Not a fable, not a story, not a teaching, not even a religion, but the person of Jesus Christ himself, present in our lives and a part of our story.

How does this work? How is this different? How can this be new? Jesus comes to us through the Word, through the Sacraments, through his Body, the Church, bringing us hope and life. As he told Mary, who was grieving over her brother Lazarus, "I AM the resurrection." Wow!

We could take a whole lifetime and only begin to understand what that means, but we need to start. When we serve, or give, or help, or share, or follow, or lead, or suffer, or heal, or care, or love - if we do any of this for the sake of Jesus, taking up our own cross to follow, we begin to see the effects of his presence in our world. We begin to get a sense of his will for us and for the  world, and we find his life fills us, empowering us to live and experience life in new ways. THIS is why we celebrate, this foretaste of the life in heaven to come that we experience NOW and share with one another and the world. "Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!"

Some Sad Trinity News
This past month we said a quiet "goodbye" (quiet at their request) to two long-time Trinity members: Alice C. and Helen L.. Alice moved to the Seattle area and Helen to Texas, both to be near family. Words cannot express our sorrow at losing these two friends; nor can words express our hope and prayer for them as they move on to new chapters of life. We thank you both for your faithful participation in the ministry of Trinity Lutheran. You will be truly missed.

Blessings and peace this Easter Season!



Pastor Larry