Hello Cross of Glory Family (Members and Friends alike),
Our lives have been slowed down a bit these last weeks, right? At least, we find ourselves more at home with a curtailing of our regular activities.
We’ve had rain! And rain means freshness and growth, new life and green landscapes! Yes indeed! Bring on the rain!
Did you know that Lent MEANS Spring? Yes, Lent also is cause for freshness and growth, new life and a change in scenery spiritually. We may have 40 days of Lent starting with Ash Wednesday leading up to the Saturday before Easter, but EACH Sunday during the 40 days is regarded as “celebratory” rather than particularly Lenten “introspection.” Sundays are ALWAYS celebratory! Sunday, the first day of the week, was the day Jesus rose from the dead!
Come rain, sleet or snow, Jesus came forward from the tomb! WE ARE CONSEQUENTLY PEOPLE OF HOPE AND LIFE, BAPTIZED, FORGIVEN AND REDEEMED!
Which brings me to my email message to you: Given that it is very unlikely that we will be in our building for Easter (2 Sundays from now), and that we will broadcasting our Easter worship in a ZOOM meeting, what suggestions do we have to make this year’s Easter service EXTRA special, memorable and… celebratory? Please share with me your great ideas! Now especially is the time for masterful creativity!
Thank you for rolling with things these last weeks! Thank you for your patience in the midst of ALL of this! We will come out of this eventually for the better! In the meantime, we need to continue using our heads, obeying the strong suggestions of good hygiene and social distancing while going only to “necessary” places. We also need to continue using our hearts, encouraging one another over the phone, in emails and even… good old-fashioned letters (what are they?). I have been SO HEARTENED to learn of how you are communicating with each other these last weeks in ways that have brought smiles and deeper friendships. Keep it up! Remember to use your Cross of Glory Friendship/Support Wheels. This time will pass quickly enough!
A couple of things…
1. It looks like Roger Matlock will be moving from Aurora South Hospital as early as today to a rehab place. Roger’s leg infection has improved. Please keep Roger and wife Karen in your prayers.
2. Send out an email to Nancy Barlow. Be sure to thank her for the conscientious, absolutely beautiful job she is doing with our regularly-updated Cross of Glory website. Her email address is nb@barlowadvertising.com
3. Send Steve Reid some love and keep thanking him for setting us up ZOOM so that our worship services may be broadcast.
4. Lastly, keep sending in your Cross of Glory offerings and tithes. Your continued financial support is both appreciated and needed during this “different” time. Our Cross of Glory mailing address is: Cross of Glory, 1991 South Oneida Street, Denver, Colorado 80224. THANK YOU!
Please join me for our first ZOOM Bible Study this Tuesday, April 7 at 6:15 PM. Given your feedback, I will be teaching a class on Romans 8. Your participation will be helpful and up lifting. You will be glad you learned more about this dear chapter of the Bible.
So, start sharing your great suggestions for Easter, Whether we are physically in our building or not, WE WILL CELEBRATE ON EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 12… and since EVERY Sunday is a Easter of sorts, a reminder of Jesus’ resurrection, we will have a BUILDING EASTER WORSHIP SERVICE upon our eventual return! Every Sunday ought to be a reminder of the hope and life we have in Christ!
Keep using your heads AND hearts!
Pastor Mike Lemke
PS: Mom (Mary Lemke) will be sending you the words to our weekly Sunday 10 AM worship hymns that you will be able to sing along with me during worship on Sunday mornings. She will also be emailing you the anticipated Scripture passages I will be lifting up that Sunday, with the hope that you continue using your home Bibles to find them.