Dear Hot Metal Community, 

You'll probably receive this email on Friday or Saturday of this week, so I hesitate to open with Easter blessings! We long to jump over this week and want to just dive into the celebration of resurrection and new life. And while I hope you join us on Sunday for breakfast and praise and Good News, I also hope you take some time before then to sit in the silence and sorrow and uncertainty of Holy Saturday. Sometimes it is in the silence that God speaks the clearest. 

Here's a practice for this Holy Saturday into Easter Sunday that might help you listen in the silence, from Rev. Sarah Are at A Sanctified Art:

Below is a creative retelling of John 20:1-18, written by Rev. Anna Strickland. As you read the story, use a black marker or pen to underline or circle the words and phrases that speak to you. Then, blackout the rest of the words on the page. From the words that remain, you may find that a new message, poem, or image emerges. Visit this link to view examples of blackout poetry: pinterest.com/sanctifiedart/ blackout-poetry-ideas

When Jesus died, they buried him in a garden. In the garden was a tomb where they laid Jesus’ body. Jesus’ follower and friend Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning to visit his body and take care of it. When she saw that the stone door had been moved away from the entrance to the tomb, Mary ran to get the other followers, worried that someone had taken Jesus’ body. When they got to the tomb, Jesus’ followers looked inside. They didn’t see Jesus in the tomb, only the pieces of cloth his body had been wrapped in. Confused, they went home, leaving Mary alone. Then Mary looked inside the tomb. There, sitting where Jesus’ body had been, were two angels. They asked her, “Why
are you crying?” She told them, “They have taken my friend away and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” Just then, she turned around and saw a man. She thought the man must be the gardener, so she asked him, “Sir, did you take him away? Please tell me where you put him so I can go get him.” Then the man said her name, “Mary,” and she knew then that this man was Jesus! “Teacher!” she said and went to hug her friend who had been raised from the dead. But Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold onto me. Even though you see me now, I must go be with God in heaven. Go tell the rest of the followers.” And Mary went to tell everyone how Jesus had been raised to life.

May God be with you in the silence and in the sounds of new life. 

Pastor Erin