When I lived in Texas, many rural churches had Easter sunrise services. Given that Jesus rose from the grave before the women arrived, it is at sunrise the first service begins. If the weather was nice and the church had space, the service was even conducted outside, often followed by a pancake breakfast. When I lived in Cameroon, they had a number of different traditions. I was always impressed by the Palm Sunday (the Sunday before Easter). The children would get palm leaves, and the church was decorated with them.
Each example points to the church being a larger community. Going to church is not only what I do for myself, but also about being part of something bigger—the larger community of God. The church is where local believers meet to encourage each other, assist others in difficulty, be assisted, reach out and help the surrounding community, and help each other to grow in Christ-likeness. It is a real blessing. It is filled with people, and so sometimes it can be stressful, but working through problems is how to solve a problem. This is better than screaming into the digital void of social media. While social media makes it easy to find some who think as you do, it also widens the divide between people.
The church has unity because of Easter. Since Jesus died for our sins and rose again, so we come together like a family. As Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:19 (ESV), “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” I wrote earlier about traditions around Easter I have seen in different countries. It was easy for me to fit into those other churches: I am a Christian too. I may have stuck out like a sore thumb, the Caucasian dot in a sea of Africans, but I was welcome. I am a member of that household of God, as Paul wrote, and it is a blessing to be able to find believers and fit in because we share a faith in Jesus.
As restrictions relax, more places to worship will be open. It is good to return to or join one. Jesus died for anyone who would believe. Find a church to join, let the blessings flow and be a blessing to others. No one is an island; isolation is bad for the psyche. God has given us a way to connect in faith. If you are even wondering about faith, it is a good place to start as well.
Rev. Rick Shott
Nokomis Baptist Church
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Disclaimer: opinions expressed are those of the writer.
