Sometimes I'm Up, Sometimes I'm Down

Easter is over, and for many, times of celebration are followed by moments of despair. We try to shake the feelings of lethargy and heaviness, and wonder what's the matter with us. The Psalmist knew that feeling. This Sunday, March 30 at 10:00 a.m. we'll look at Psalms 42 and 43 to find our help and our hope.
~Pastor Rita

just finished reading...

Jhumpa Lahiri's
The Namesake. An Indian family moves from Calcutta to suburban New York. The book follows the identity struggles of the son, Gogol. He hates his name and upon entering university, changes it. This move, however, fails to address the question we all eventually ask: Who am I? The book is rich in imagery; I particularly liked this one: Gogol/Nikhil is trying to remove a photograph from one of those magnetic page albums so he can show it to his girlfriend. It's a picture from his youth, in which she too is present. The book reads: "He tries to peel the image from the sticky yellow backing, to show her the next time he sees her, but it clings stubbornly, refusing to detach cleanly from the past." (207)

For Sale on eBay

A man in Australia has put his entire life up for sale on eBay; he wants to start all over. Many of us would like to start all over. We've messed things up so terribly; our relationships with people and with God are in shambles. The darkness of the cross testifies to our dismal track record. But with the brilliant light of Easter morning we DO get to start over. In Christ's death and resurrection we get a brand new start. Come celebrate this reality at our services on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Both services are at 10:00 a.m.

You Can't Handle the Truth

The line was made famous by Jack Nicholson in "A Few Good Men," but it's a fact that rings true for many. We tend to avoid that which makes us uncomfortable, things that might cause us to squirm. Peter asks Jesus, "Lord, where are you going?" But Jesus doesn't answer the question, because Peter can't handle the truth, not at this point. Watch the Nicholson clip at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hGvQtumNAY and then come on Sunday to hear how the anticipation of Palm Sunday spiraled into a truth that only Jesus could handle.
~Pastor Rita

That's the Good Stuff...

or at least we THINK that's the good stuff. Sometimes we aren't really sure what's good and what's not. This Sunday we'll look at the criteria for figuring it out -- James helps us here. Sunday, March 9, 10 a.m. All are welcome.
~Pastor Rita

TIME CHANGES THIS WEEKEND

Don't forget to put your clocks ahead an hour when you go to bed on Saturday night. Could be a little tough getting out of bed in the morning, but think of the daylight we gain in the evenings. Spring IS coming!