A Message from Pastor Erin This Lenten season carries with it so much grief and uncertainty. As the coronavirus ravages across the globe, people shelter in their homes and avoid large gatherings. We do this, too.
This Sunday we will celebrate Easter resurrection. Through Zoom we will turn to one another and declare just as Mary did to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord" (John 20:18). We will tell stories of resurrection in our lives. These stories of resurrection are tiny glimpses of God's kingdom among us. Where have you seen the Lord lately? I have seen the Lord when I take my dogs for a walk through the streets of Chicago. I have seen the Lord in our congregation when tech-savvy congregants call non-tech-using members to walk them through steps to participate in the worship service. I have seen the Lord in our Ravenswood neighbors who organized a mutual aid society to provide food and other necessities for community members in our area. The Lord is ever-present, even in this time of grief and uncertainty. The Lord is ever-present granting peace to our hearts and our world. Please join me this Easter season in several great actions. - Take time to call another. Call a loved one, someone you haven't talked to in awhile, someone from church and tell them you love them. Ask them how they are feeling, how you can pray for them.
- Take time to pray. Prayer - our greatest spiritual action - asks God for protection and guidance and a little bit of patience in this time when we are apart.
- Join us in worship. Staying home does not mean we are apart. You are welcome to join us in worship by logging on at zoom.us/j/806489040 or calling in at 1.312.626.6799 (Meeting ID: 806 489 040).
- Give all you can. Our worship to our God continues. Our generosity continues as we support partner ministries. We recently donated $400 to Chicago's The Night Ministry to feed LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness during this time.
Easter Sunday at Ravenswood Fellowship UMC is usually a time of joy and generosity. It won't be any different this year! We believe joy is an active practice of looking, even expecting, God to show up. We believe generosity makes us better followers of our God because God so generously shared life with us. Won't you help us continue to care for others and in so doing care for Christ himself by financially supporting our ministry? For some of you, you don't know when your next paycheck or unemployment will come? You worry about paying for rent and necessities. Giving even small amounts, no matter what place in life you find yourself, requires courageous action. Courageous action is resisting the nagging fear of scarcity and giving our finances believing in God's abundant provision in times of uncertainty and grief.
No matter how much you give this Easter, your courageous action is noticed and celebrated by God, like the woman who threw her last two coins in the collection box (Mark 12:41-45). You can send your generous gift to 5411 N Hermitage Ave., Chicago, IL 60640, or go donate at paypal.me/rfumc. Your financial support helps us transform lives and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! May you see the Lord in surprising and wonderful ways this season as we approach Easter resurrection. Oh yeah! And Easter? We will ring in this wild, weird time with bells, or whatever kind of noisemaker you have in you house. We will tell the world, Jesus is risen! And we will tell our neighbors there is still joy to be had. So bring a pot or plastic bowl. Make sure it is something obnoxious. Find some sticks or use your hands. Make a loud, joyful, raucous noise for our God's power over death! | 
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