A note from Pastor Travis 4/8/21

Dear FUMC Family and Friends,

A little over two weeks ago Dr. Walensky, director of the CDC, gave an emotional press conference in which she sat aside her prepared remarks to implore people to continue to observe COVID-19 safety precautions and restrictions a little longer. She acknowledged that people were weary of all the safety measures and that many people had now received vaccinations. Then, she said that we are so close to coming out of this pandemic, and we need to stay the course a little longer. 

We are in an in-between time right now. Each day more and more people are being vaccinated. Soon we will reach a critical point where enough people have been vaccinated that life can begin to return to normal. However, we are not there yet, and we are trying to figure out who to live in this in-between state of “almost but not yet.”

The Christian community often thinks of our life in Christ in a similar manner. Jesus said that with his coming the reign of God’s love had begun, which would lead to a world of justice and love where everyone would be accepted and loved just as they are for whom they are. It would lead to a world in which every tear would be wiped dry, and sin and hate would be eliminated. Yet, though Jesus declared the beginning of this new era, it has not yet reached its fulfillment. We live in a world still marred by hate and the sins of oppression.   The Christian faith looks forward in hope of the fulfillment of God’s reign where earth reflects heaven. Yet, we live in an in-between time. The question is how do we as people of faith live in this in-between time?

The Church’s answer is that, as people of faith, we are to work for and participate in the creation of the world to reflect God’s reign. As followers of Jesus, it is our responsibility to work with God to transform our world. We are to be people of justice who work to overcome oppression. We are to stand up against hate, in all of its manifestations. We are to embody God’s love, following after the example of Jesus. We don’t just dream of a just world; we help make the world more just.

This work is hard and slow, and it feels like we aren’t making much progress, if any at all. The world seems to be as corrupt as ever. We find that we even have to work for justice within the Church, so how can we hope to transform the world? 

This is where the message and power of Easter speaks to our need. Easter declares that evil does not have the last world. Through the power of the resurrection, God’s redemptive work is active in our lives and in the world. This work is not in ours alone. It is God’s. As an Easter people, we trust in the redemptive activity of God and work so that God’s transformative power may be experienced through us. This is our Easter hope.

Blessings and Grace,

Pastor Travis