Easter Cross 2025

 a blessing for Easter Sunday

“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week… Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”—John 20:19, ESV

Oh God, we stretch out our hands to you in this early Easter darkness.

We need you to pull us up and set us on our feet again, 

for we are weak and tired.

God, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Spirit, have mercy.

God, on that first Easter morning

while it was still dark,

one woman went alone to the tomb

to do what could be done to honor you,

though hope had drained away.

Two bright angels met her there, and then –

how is it possible? –

you were there. fully alive, beyond belief.

in doubt and grief,

in sickness of body and mind and spirit,

our prayers not fully realized,

rejoicing… anyway.

carrying forth the realized hope of the Resurrected One,

singing our alleluias great and small,

while it is still dark.

Blessed are we who stretch out our hands to you

For that is what makes us Easter people:

Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

-Kate Bowler 

Lucy and Lisa Hanscom

Mazzoncini Family 

The Chapmans (+ Libby's nephew) 

Alyssa and George Petrie 

Heather and Randy 

The Kruse Family 

half of the Hestads 

Skip and Liz Li (and Jasmine) 

The Brumbaughs