I had imagined that that at the beginning of Eastertide, the 50 days between Easter and Pentecost, I would be primed to write about the new things that Easter was bringing that made me rejoice. Instead, the ensuing days have included a torrent of the unexpected that has required persistence, elasticity and trust in events that were frightening, disheartening and some just sad. An unstable war in Iran that changes daily; testimonies of ongoing struggle and disorientation from the Eaton fire a year ago; skyrocketing costs and diminishing employment that have left people close to me fearing for what is ahead. So once again I see that Easter is not a magician’s wave of the wand of Resurrection, but a token in trust that after sadness, there is also comfort, after darkness, there is also Light, after despair, there is also Hope. 

Friends, once again, we are invited to pay attention, to look, to listen, to wait, even in Eastertide, where the promise of all things are new has been given life. But not yet everything, Let’s stay close to each other as we look for signs of God’s presence and new life in our lives.

Anita Sorenson
Pastor for Spiritual Formation