As we descend into the pathos of the passion story, may we be reminded as followers of the life, love, and justice of Jesus, of our part in the resurrection story – pivotal pursuits of shalom alongside the liberating work of Christ. I’ve been sitting this Holy Week with these timely and sacred words from Cole Arthur Riley’s, This Here Flesh:
“Perhaps you’ve heard it said that justice delayed is justice denied. Maybe that’s why Christ died in the middle of time and not as a culmination. Maybe God knew if restoration was delayed any longer, the hope of it would be lost altogether. But as creation lingers on, we still require countless other acts of liberation as we do justice alongside the God who began it.”
This is who we are, familia. And we see it in so many ways:
Gaza Fundraiser Update
This past weekend, multiple faith communities across multiple faiths gathered together at PMC with great intentionality, reverence, care, and love. And in so doing, this cross-cultural collective of freedom fighters cumulatively raised over THIRTY. FOUR. THOUSAND. DOLLARS!!!
This extravagantly generous, joyful, and sacrificial giving will be split four ways between the Palestinian-led humanitarian relief group Oena, the nonprofit KinderUSA that focuses on support for children in the Gaza Strip, and two family “GoFundMe” campaigns for our Palestinian friends who spoke Saturday night. Beloved, we are blown away, utterly in awe! Our God is able: the God of Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac. Faithful beyond the borders of faith, culture, nationality, and origin. How amazing is that?!
Holy Week services
Good Friday Observance, March 29, 6-7 PM
Join us for a contemplative liturgy of sight, sound, and solidarity as we center a table of remembrance and regard the cross of Christ. This will be a musical, poetic, and visual exploration where we meditate on the unjust crucifixion of Jesus and seek solace in the divine mystery of our God fully revealed in Christ crucified.
Resurrection Sunday Service, March 31, 4 PM
Pastora Inés will walk us to and through the Emmaus Road as we encounter a Jesus who walks with us and sits down at the table to break bread in the resurrected being of a once broken body.
Small Group Book Study coming up!
Meleca Consultado is facilitating an 8-week book study starting on April 10 at 6:30 PM that meets on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at Sarah O and Sarah D’s home in Sunland. The group is open to anyone!
Please join them as they discuss Efrem Smith and Dan Kreiss’s book Church for Everyone: Building Multi-Inclusive Community for Emerging Generations. You may find more info and sign up for this community group via our Church Center app here.
Beloved, “We still require countless other acts of liberation as we do justice alongside the God who began it.” And so may we spur one another on to continue to do just that, all while remembering our Jesus steadfastly walked this road both beside and ahead of us, and ever bids us to follow and keep following.
Following right alongside you,
Bobby
P.S.
One last thing that’s kind of a big thing! We’re beginning the process of pursuing a Director of Children and Youth Ministries! It’s a part-time role and you can read all about it here as well as apply for the job. We’re also asking you to pass this along to anyone you might see fit to jump in the journey with us! We’re keeping this application open first to our own network within our own familia until April 15th. After that point, we’ll be considering opening up the application process to more public-facing avenues.