Creating the Easter Event

Providence Family,

Last week I was working to create some things for social media for Easter. It prompted me to create an “event” for the morning so that people could remember it and share it with others. I appreciated the suggestion, but it caused me to pause and reconsider. I’m afraid that Easter has become just that for so many- an event. Don’t get me wrong- it is an event. The Resurrection of the Son of God calls for our celebration. It’s just that if Easter is JUST an event, we’re in big trouble.

Churches feel a lot of pressure to get it right on Easter. From volunteers to sermon preparation, everything usually gets just a bit more attention. We want everything to be done well for those extra folks that show up. This week I’ve seen multiple ads for churches and their special services they have planned for the morning. Everything is just a little bit “extra.” I understand that. If I’m honest, part of me envies the fact that other churches have the ability to do things we just can’t pull off.

Easter has it’s own pressure for people considering coming to church too. They have their own issues in trying to “get it right” for this day. They want to look good, be on time, and generally blend in if at all possible. They want to be welcomed, but not overwhelmed. They want to take good pictures and make it through the morning without a major catastrophe or argument. The event that is Easter can make us all feel a bit of pressure to play our part and play it well.

Easter is certainly an event worth remembering, but if that’s all it is then we’re missing the point. I fear that in our desire to celebrate the event, we’ve made the resurrection almost irrelevant except for a few moments each year. At Providence, we say a lot that, “Every Sunday is Easter Sunday.” We mean that. Sundays in September are every bit the celebration that Sundays in April are. Do we want people to welcome and greet visitors on Easter? Sure, but honestly we need a lot more people excited to serve this way every Sunday. Do I hope people show up EARLY on Sunday ready to serve and welcome? Sure, but I pray for this every week. Do we want music to be great on Easter? Absolutely, but we want to serve you well with our music each Sunday. Do I want the sermon to be clear and compelling? Sure, but I strive for that every Sunday too.

Perhaps I’m a bit long-winded here, but I fear we make a big mistake when Easter is an event. If it’s an event, it can go in the past with all my other Facebook events- vacations, birthday parties, and concerts. Things that you check-off and move on from- things that are now just memories. That’s not Easter though. It’s an every Sunday, moreover an every day, reality. It has to be. I can’t make it through today if it’s JUST an event. I need the power of the resurrection in every crack and crevice and in every moment of my life.

So this Sunday we hope to see you at Providence. We hope you’re early. We hope you’re eager to serve kids, families, and guests. We hope you’re excited to sing and celebrate. We hope you’ll bring some folks with you too, because celebrations are better with more people at the party. We also hope you’ll do the same next Sunday and a Sunday in July and October and December. The resurrection is too big for just one Sunday.

Sunday’s Coming,

Tony