The Northminster Window

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

An Unscheduled Easter

Click here to read Rev. Gregg's most recent post for Patheos on "An Unscheduled Easter."

Monday, April 5, 2010

Easter Letter from our Sister Congregation in Cuba

Note: The following is an Easter letter to Northminster Church from The Rev. Noel Fernandez, the Pastor Emeritus at Iglesia Bautista Enmanuel, our sister church in Ciego de Avila, Cuba. Immediately following Noel's letter is Dr. Gaddy's grateful letter in response.

Dear Northminster Church Family,

This week was a very blessed time among us. Easter, as usual, was celebrated beside the river on the roadway to Bolivia. Sisters and brothers from ten different congregations affiliated with the Fraternity of Baptist Churches of Cuba attended the celebration. Five persons from our church were baptized, also five from Colorado and three from Bolivia.

Ormara and I planned the service, which included participation from representatives of all the churches represented. As usual Eduardo preached a great sermon.

A delicious lunch was prepared by a group of men from Bolivia. The main dish was a Cuban “ajiaco,” but most of the participants had their own snack that was shared with others.

The many children present were more quiet than usual, but after the baptisms, all of them jumped into the water and…you may imagine the rest.

I was thinking of you and asking God to bless you, our family there, and the whole Northminster Church.

Easter is the most blessed season in the whole year.

Blessed Easter for all of you!

Noel

Dear Noel:

Your Easter letter was a wonderful gift. When I finished reading it, I felt like I had been by the river with all of you. I could hear the singing, see the pride on your face while Eduardo was preaching, experience the joy of the baptism followed by all the kids jumping into the water. I could smell the food and feel the warmness of the fellowship around the table. You described the whole experience in a manner that inspired me and caused gratitude to well up in my heart.

We had a good day at Northminster as well on Easter Sunday. We saw people in worship whom we had not seen before and some we had not seen in a long time. Our choir sang two pieces from Handel's Messiah and they sang with beauty and enthusiasm. A good spirit prevailed and worship was meaningful.

Your letter brought to mind the bond between two congregations and between numerous individuals that is made strong by our common faith and the joy of our celebrations of its highest moments and most meaningful events. Your writing enabled me to see you and sense the joy of putting my arms around you and Ormara and speaking of the pleasure that is uniquely ours to have enjoyed a partnership and a sense of family that have enriched life.

The holy presence with you was with us as well. We said our prayers together. We worshiped as a family. God's presence is unmistakable in our friendship. On Easter all that you had that we were missing was the great food and splashing water. But, the day is coming when we will share that again as well.

Joy and peace to you, dear friend. You are a constant source of inspiration and encouragement.

Welton

Saturday, April 3, 2010

TRACKS: Monroe, Louisiana

“It sounded like you believe in resurrection.” The comment was as much a question as it was an observation. The words were noticeably laced with a twinge of surprise. After a week of Holy Week services, the host pastor was driving the guest speaker for the week to the airport.

Carlyle Marney was the guest minister about to depart for home. Personally, “Marney”—that’s what most people who knew him well called him—was one of my heroes and mentors. I suspect he may have been the most brilliant thinker ever produced by Baptists. Certainly he was one of the most honest and influential. Some people called him a “liberal,” but as is usually the case, no label fit perfectly; it depended on the subject being discussed.

Obviously, Marney’s host for the week had the “liberal” label in mind when he offered his observation that hung in the air like a question—“Tonight,” he said to Marney, “It sounded like you believe in the resurrection.”

After a pause, Marney, now somewhat elderly, responded, “The closer I get to death, the more I believe in the resurrection.”

From the moment I heard that story from my friend who was Marney’s host for that week years ago, I understood the revered man’s comment. For me, it is a pertinent comment for Holy Saturday.

Some people believe in resurrection because they are supposed to, some because the Bible describes it, others because they think they have figured out a rational explanation for and defense of resurrection (which misses the whole point of the truth about resurrection), and still others because of a need to believe in resurrection.

I look forward to Easter Sunday as a day when we wrap all of our doubts and beliefs in a series of alleluias as we claim the promise that nothing can separate us from the love of God. But, for me, the waiting is as spiritually important as the celebrating. In such silence, anxiety, eagerness, disturbance, and expectation belief forms . . . or reforms.

Prayer

O God, for the journey through Lent and the challenges of Holy Week we give thanks even as with gratitude we look forward to tomorrow and a joyous celebration of a mystery that is essential to reality. Amen.