Dear Hot Metal Community, 

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

Thanks to all who came to celebrate the Resurrection on Sunday! What a beautiful day filled with signs of new life! And guess what? The celebration continues!!

Easter is a whole season of the Church's life - seven whole weeks (plus a couple of days) of celebrating and pondering how a Risen Christ changes us and the world! We hear other stories of Christ showing up, and then we'll turn to stories from Acts to learn about how the church formed in the aftermath of resurrection. 

This Sunday we'll hear the story of Thomas (aka "Doubting Thomas), who refuses to believe what the other disciples told him without seeing Jesus for himself. This is always the reading for this week, and I'm sure many of you have heard your share of sermons about Thomas. But this year, I'm intrigued by the others - what are they afraid of? Why are they hiding away? Why does Jesus show up there?

I know I too sometimes let my fear (or anger or exhaustion or whatever), make me hide away and isolate myself. I know that even if there is Good News of resurrection and new life, I sometimes let my pessimism stop me from believing it to be true. What I am hearing in this story this year, is the promise that Jesus doesn't let any of that stop him from showing up and offering peace. Perhaps Jesus is showing up in my life in ways to push me out of my isolation and offer peace and to confirm the Good News that is already true. 

So if you find yourself needing reassurance of new life, even in this week after Easter, I hope you join us in coming together to fight off fear and receive Christ's peace together. 

In Christ, 

Pastor Erin