Christ is risen! Imagine the power in those words of promise. When the disciples first heard Jesus speak of his death and resurrection, "they kept the matter to themselves" (Mark 9:10). But the news is too good to keep to ourselves. The life of Jesus Christ has been unleashed into the world.
Because Christ is risen, you can embrace life's complexities and uncertainties with a living, daring confidence in God's grace. The risen Christ goes ahead of you, meeting you in the most surprising faces and unexpected places. Christ's resurrection puts us right where God wants us to be — in the thick of life.
Because Christ is risen, you have a word of hope. To those weary from mourning loss and fearing death, the assurance is given that nothing in all creation will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
The life of Jesus, God's own life, has burst into the world, restoring community. At the barriers we erect to divide us, the risen Christ meets us, turning those walls into tables of reconciliation. To those who live in fear and feel unworthy, the promise is given. "You are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God" (Ephesians 2:19).
Every morning you awaken with the mark of Jesus' death on your forehead and the promise of Christ's resurrection on your lips.
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
In God's grace,
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
By the Rev. Steve Ray, executive director, chinaconnectDear Friends,
I am writing to you and your congregation’s youth team to let you know of new developments with our youthconnect culture and service project. I’ve just returned from three weeks in China working/building even stronger relationships with our partners at an orphanage outside of Beijing and our youth partners in the city of Nanchang, Jiangxi Province.
With most ELCA Youth attending the New Orleans Youth Event this summer 2012, I want to alert you to the opportunity for a youth service option in China for the years 2013 and beyond. Our partners at the Nanchang Institute of Technology are excited to be working with us in this joint project for Chinese and American youth to exchange ideas, friendships, and build lasting relationships while learning about each other’s culture and, at the same time, coming together to serve the less fortunate.
Our schedule for each summer youthconnect Culture and Service Project revolves around a strong service component by engaging youth to serve at an orphanage in the Beijing area for two to three days of service and then traveling down to Nanchang to serve in a disability center and school for deaf children.
Mixed in with this is the opportunity to work with local Nanchang area high school and college age youth to learn more about one another’s culture, families, religion, language and history.
The program normally begins with sightseeing in and around Beijing for the first three days and then traveling to the orphanage to serve for two to three days. We then will pack up and travel to Nanchang (southeastern China) to begin the cultural exchange portion of the visitation and, with our new Chinese friends, will serve, explore, and learn about Chinese culture.
Our 2013 program will be for a total of 15 days. Departure from the United States will be July 10 and return to the United States on July 25. If you would like more information about this project for this summer (July 11-26) or next, feel free to contact me at 253-225-5989 or my email address sray@chinaconnectonline.org.
Again, thanks for this opportunity to share with you the work of chinaconnect and may God bless you during these most important days of our lives as Christians.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Steven Ray
The public is invited to a choral singing and worship event titled "Sing the Glory of God's Name," presented by the Washington chapter of the Chorister's Guild.
