The message of the resurrection is a message of hope and of new life. All around us, we see signs of God bringing eternal life. As our Facilities Planning Committee talks with local non-profit groups about re-purposing the Memorial Hall, our eyes are being opened to new possibilities of using our space for the benefit of the community, to help others grow or to meet basic needs in the community.
Our application to sponsor a refugee family has cleared the first hurdle, approval by the Quebec government, and a family which has spent the last 5 years in a crowded and sometimes violent camp has hope that they will soon be able to begin a new life. Coming together with Si. Thomas and Trinity Memorial on the sponsorship has opened to us possibilities of new partnerships in the neighborhood, that we can work together to strengthen each other.
Our Sunday School is growing very slowly but we have a quality program. When I talk to the teachers at coffee hour, often they tell me how much fun they had in the class, seeing faith bloom in the children.
As Christians, we are called to be optimists. We know that, even in the midst of suffering and death, God is able to bring forth new life. Part of our baptismal promise is to proclaim, by word and example, that Good News to the world around us. As we are restructuring our real estate and our finances, we are freeing up resources to do more to show the community around us that we do believe in God's ability to bring new life to those who are in trouble or need.
May we celebrate this Eastertide by proclaiming God's gift of new life to all.
Have a blessed Easter.
Yours in Christ,
The Rev. James B. Pratt
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