Holy Saturday

Today we live in the in between times. Passion of Christ is over. No more beatings, no more nails, no more pain. What we see is a sealed tomb. We are still waiting for the breaking of the dawn. Still waiting to see what is lurking in the darkness. Still waiting to see what great miracle God has planned

Yes, this is the in between time. In between death and new life. In between sorrow and hopeful joy. In between reality of suffering and promise of peace.

So what can we do as we wait in the darkness. What can we do as we live in the in between time?. We do what we can – we pray. Pray that God’s grace and love will be showered on all God’s children. Pray for comfort and peace for those who mourn. Pray that darkness will end and new light, a brilliant light, will break into out lives

Yes, today, as we wait in the darkness, we pray. And we pray with hopeful hearts. We pray resting in God’s promises. We pray that we will see, once again, how God will have the last word. And what a word it will be. For we pray that the last word will be one of new life.

So let us pray.

Good Friday Music

I have just finished the first of two Good Friday services, and as I sit here, reflecting on the service and preparing or Easter, I am reminded of the gift of music and how music moves the soul.

In the service I had Jennifer sing a verse of a song during the sermon, and then, at the end she did a duet of Pie Jesu. These two pieces of music were ones the brought me to my knees, for they were so filled with emotion, so filled with faith, that they brought right to where I needed to be - the foot of the cross.

We also sang "Were You There," which is one of my favorite songs. This day of reflection would not be complete for me if I did not join with my brothers and sisters in contemplating all that Christ has done for me in song.

Music moves the soul. Music brings us to where we need to be. Music is powerful.

So today, may you be blessed with the gift of music in your life, and may you have moving Good Friday experience.

Expensive Week

It has been an expensive week at the Jelinek household. This week our washing machine died, and it would have cost more to fix it than buy a new one. So yesterday I was running around trying to find a good machine at a decent price. Since Easter is coming, and we are on vacation after Easter, we needed one to clean our clothes and trips to the laundry mat were not in our schedule. Luckily, I found a store who can deliver today.

So after running around and spending money (doing our part to stimulate the economy I guess), I sat down and started thinking about the expensive week.

Today is Maundy Thursday, the day we gather and celebrate the gift of the Lord's Supper. It is a somber time, for we know that this is also the beginning of the end for Jesus' ministry. After today, things get very painful for Jesus, and tomorrow we gather to watch as he dies for us.

It is an expensive week, for this week we are reminded of the price that God pays so that our relationship with him may be restored. It is an expensive week, for it is a time when we are called to see that price of human life that is paid so that we may live, and live eternal with God. It is an expensive week, for this is the week we see Jesus blood being poured out as payment for our sin.

Yes, this is an expensive week. But is through this expense that we are given hope. We see that God loves us so much that he is willing to give his life all so that we may experience his love for us in a new and powerful way.

So during this expensive week I invite you to reflect on the gifts that God has given you, and the expense he went through to ensure you of these Gifts.

Morning Walk

When the weather is nice, and I get to sleep at a decent time, I try to go for a walk in the morning. This is a time for me to get some exercise, which is always needed, and enjoy the early morning.

I have always been a morning person. I love getting up, hearing the birds chirp, watch the sun rise, and bask in the glory of a new day. It is a very comforting time of day for me.

When I was growing up, my dad and I were the two morning people in the family. It was our time to catch up, watch the news together, and just spend time with each other. I have many great memories of the two of us sitting the kitchen in Billings and enjoying the break of day.

This week the morning has a special significance. This week we will walk into the darkest night of human history - the night we now call Good Friday - and we will be surrounded by the darkness of death - the death of the Christ. But we do not stay in this dark place. For as it is with all nights, it too will come to an end. And then we get to bask in the glory of a new day, a new day of the resurrection.

This new morning that we are walking towards is one that changes all of humanity. For in this new morning we are given hope - hope that death is not the end and a new morning, a new life, is breaking into our lives.

So as we journey towards the new morning of Easter, may we always be reminded of the steps Christ took to make this new morning a reality. May we be blessed with the hope of new life in our lives. And may we celebrate the Son-rise every day of our lives.

Palm Sunday

On Wednesday night during our regular youth activities the kids kept coming up to me saying, "Pastor Erik - can we show our march?" Finally, when we were done I said yes, and these little kids ran out of the sanctuary. Then, they appeared in another door, arms raised, and started marching through the church singing - Hosanna, Hosanna. The joy on their faces was a beautiful sight to see, and the excitement in their voices and actions was wonderful.

Today is Palm Sunday, and it is the start of that last days of Christ's life. We march with him into Jerusalem, singing our praises to the King of Kings, all the time knowing that Friday will bring great sorrow and next Sunday will be the moment of joy that brings hope and new life to all the world.

So this week my prayer is that you will take the time to reflect on this leg of Jesus' journey. That you will slow down, walk with Christ into Jerusalem, sit with him in the Upper Room, and weep with him during his final hours. For when we go through these experiences, the joy of Easter is so much sweeter. May you be blessed with a powerful Holy Week this year.

Lent and all that

I know that it has been a long time since I have put anything up here - and I apologize for that. The season and everything else has come crashing down on me and the blogging has just gotten away from me. So today I want to put down some random thoughts about the different steps I have been taking over the last month.

Step 1 - stepping into Lent towards Easter

This is always a busy time of year for me. All the extra sermons, worship services, and everything else that comes crashing onto my plate. The thing is, I really love this time of year. Changing up things, devoting time to reflect on the journey that Christ made for us, preparing for the Easter season - i love all this because it pulls me back into the heart of faith. Every year, when I feel overwhelmed I sit in worship, sing Holden Evening Prayer, and travel with Christ as he prepares the make the ultimate sacrifice for us.

Step 2 - Hospital trips

Our church has been having a bunch of people diagnosed with cancer lately. Taking steps with these people is painful, yet it is also a time when I see the face of Christ shining in their lives as well. Others step up, offer help, and bring a little joy into the lives of those who are struggling.

Step 3 - always trying to move forward

Those of you who know me know that I don't do well just sitting back. I am always trying to look forward and find new ways to reach out with God's love in the lives of others. Over the past month I have had the opportunity to take steps with people as they dream big dreams and start to put those dreams int action. It is a true blessing to be a part of their steps as well.

So as we continue taking our steps to the cross and beyond, may you be blessed to see Christ stepping with you - giving you all that you need and empowering you to step out boldly.

Hunger

As I have been taking this Lenten journey this year, many of my thoughts have revolved around the issue of hunger. Now the hunger I am talking about is not the type I feel because of the Health and Wellness program the church has started, but rather it is the hunger that is deep in our souls and cannot be filled by food alone. It is that hunger that sometimes aches in us, and we long for something, anything, to fill us and give us some hope in what is sometimes a dark world that we live in.

There have been many times in my life when I have felt this hunger - times of loss, confusion, and even fear. It is a hunger that gnaws at my bones and drives me to search for something to fill it.

This Lent I have been reflecting on this spiritual hunger because of a baptism that I did last week. This young man came into my office and was basically begging to be baptized. He was hungry. Hungry for God, hungry for spirituality, hungry to make a change in his life. That Saturday night the congregation lit up as this man stepped forward and was received into the Body of Christ. They lit up not only because there was a new member of the congregation, but also because this man was/is so full of energy and spirit.

And in this event, I was reminded of how our spiritual hunger is satisfied. It is not by the things of this world, but rather it is satisfied by God. It is satisfied by the people who develop spiritual friendships with others and bring the light of Christ into another persons life. It s satisfied by the Word of God coming to roost in the life of a brother or sister and seeing how that new life brings with it an excitement and joy that was lacking before.

So today, may you be filled - filled with the grace, love and forgiveness of God, once again. And may you develop spiritual friendships with others so that their hunger may be filled as well.