Surprising God,

We know the stories of death, domination and destruction, we live and breath them day-by-day.

We are skilled at dehumanizing and turning a blind eye,

we know how to twist greed into virtue, violence into right and evil into necessity.

We know betrayal and betraying, we are bullied and bullying

and we hang crosses to deal death in every shape, color and size.

We dwell in the shadows of crucifixion.

And then You show up with bread and cup, basin and towel

You show up on the beach and on the stony road,

in our grief and uncertainty you spark our soul and speak our name

and we see you all at once in the gardener's face.

And we move from fog and fear to see something new.

Something new in the noisy nest and tender buds unfolding on the limb.

Something new in the moist, spongy earth and the song of all creation that shouts

wake up, open your eyes,

Life can not be overcome by death.

Let’s hatch something new,

something new and tender and green, something new even if it seems small

new hope, new laughter, new love, new delight

new tools to widen the cracks in old walls

new sparks to fan the flames within

new seasons calling us to start over and over and over again.

Life can not be overcome by death.

Let’s hatch something new

all winter our roots have been stretching deep and wide,

gathering the nourishment we need and sewing resilience rich and thick that we might rise.

Spring is calling, rise

were fired up and ready to go.

You rise and bid us, "do the same."

And your Easter people say, Amen.

Read the “Easter Message and John 20. What will Easter Season mean to you? What new practice of faith will you explore?

“Easter Message” Desmond Mpilo Tutu

And then Easter happened. Jesus rose from the dead. The incredible, the unexpected happened. Life triumphed over death, light over darkness, love over hatred, good over evil. That is what Easter means-hope prevails over despair. Jesus reigns as Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Oppression and injustice and suffering can’t be the end of the human story. Freedom and justice, peace and reconciliation, are God’s will for all of us, black and white, in this land and through out the world. Easter says to us that despite everything to the contrary, God’s will for us will prevail, love will prevail over hate, justice over injustice and oppression, peace over exploitation and bitterness. The Lord is risen. Alleluia.