Bryan County News Life after Easter, or, a season of transformation
By Pastor Devin Strong, Spirit of Peace Lutheran Church.
The celebrations of Easter weekend Easter egg hunts, family gatherings and special Sunday services are behind us now. However, from a Christian point of view, Easter’s not just a single day; liturgically, we celebrate the season of Easter for approximately the next seven weeks (50 days), from Easter Sunday until Pentecost (meaning 50th). Easter’s not just one day of going to church, hiding eggs and eating ham with our relatives it’s meant to be a season of transformational experiences that can become a lifestyle. The transformation the apostles experienced from Easter through Pentecost was nothing short of incredible! In the Gospels, they were sort of a hot-and-cold- running bunch.
Bryan County News Willing fools and the April Fools Day tradition
By Pastor Devin Strong, Spirit of Peace Lutheran Church.
“April Fools’!” we cry out when all in good fun – we’ve pulled one over on someone today! The April Fools’ Day tradition may have originated as far back as Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, written between 1387 and 1400.
But, regardless of its origin, it’s considered a day to play some tricks, have some fun and, goodness knows, we could all use some fun about now. More than ever, all of us probably need to remember something silly or joyful and share a good laugh! From a Christian perspective, the apostle Paul suggested several times in his various letters, for us to be willing to be fools for Christ. Of course, he wasn’t referring to our being practical jokesters; he was urging us to let go of our pride, get out of our comfort zone and stand in someone else’s shoes. Because Paul knew who he was as a child loved by
Christian tradition tells us that the ashes used on Ash Wednesday are created from the burned palm branches used on the previous Palm Sunday to commemorate Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem amid an exuberant crowd cheering, “Hail Son of David! Hail King of kings!” In just five days, that same crowd would be fiercely shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
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By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism. Pandemic causes changes to Ash Wednesday service
Wednesday, Feb. 17 is Ash Wednesday and marks the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period when churches of various denominations ask their members to re-dedicate themselves to prayer, giving alms, making sacrifices, reading Scripture, and fasting.
The observance is an opportunity for the faithful to sharpen their senses and focus their minds and hearts on the reign of God. The Lenten season ends on Easter Sunday, which falls on April 4.
In Bryan County, Spirit of Peace Lutheran Church is handling its Ash Wednesday service a bit differently this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The church will host a drive-up Ash Wednesday ritual from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17. Participants can pull their vehicles up to the church, located at 15985 GA-144 in