“The point of the resurrection…is that the present bodily life is not valueless just because it will die….What you do with your body in the present matters because God has a great future in store for it….What you do in the present—by painting, singing, sewing, praying, teaching, building hospitals, digging wells, campaigning for justice, writing poems, caring for the needy, loving your neighbor as yourself—will last into God’s future. These activities are not simply ways of making the present life a little less beastly, a little more bearable, until the day when we leave it behind altogether (as the hymn so mistakenly puts it…). They are part of what we may call building for God’s kingdom.”
― N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church
Greetings Friends,
As we begin the month of Easter, we are in the middle of a set of services focused on the Kingdom of God. The kids’ faith program at both morning services is following the same themes. In the quote above, Tom Wright links the resurrection – the main Easter event – with the Kingdom of God.
What we are doing now matters.
What we are doing now as a church matters.
Briarwood, in the last 4 years, has discerned as one of its main priorities reaching out to the wider community – with a special focus on children, youth and their families. We have begun that journey together as a church. And others have been joining in the journey month by month.
The point of Christian faith is not ‘to get into heaven’, with no connection to what we’re doing now. Eternal life – resurrection life – starts now. In how we treat each other. How we work for God’s kingdom where lives are transformed in the radical love of Jesus.
How we pass on the heritage of faith to the next generation.
This is a high and holy calling. And it’s one we’re taking together.
May the grace of Jesus attend each of you, as we enter this Easter month and Holy Week (services: March 24th 10 a.m. and 11:30; Maundy Thursday 8 p.m.; Good Friday 11 a.m. (worship band) and 7:30 p.m. (choir, organ); Easter Sunday 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.)
You’ll find many amazing events and opportunities for growth and service in this newsletter. Please keep our Youth Group in prayers, and our Children and Youth Director Danielle Pierre, for their Youth Retreat March 15-17.
With all good wishes,
Rev. Greg
rev. dr. greg davidson 