Horizons – April 2024

Easter bursts upon us, blossoming with new life all around in this new season in our lives and in the life of the church. Through Lent we have prayed: “May Spring come to us; be in us; and recreate new life in us!” Now our hearts overflow in the joy of the Resurrection.

Our Eastertide theme “The Joy We Share” was inspired by the old hymn “In the Garden.” The text by C. Austin Miles, 19c. pharmacist turned hymn-writer, celebrates the joy of resurrection shared with the Risen Christ. Of the garden and the presence of the Risen Lord, we sing of “the joy we share as we tarry there.”

The joy we share with our Risen Lord extends far beyond our own hearts to the life of the community of faith, to all with whom we share this joy. In this Eastertide season, we will share together in the baptism of both an infant and a young adult. We will join together to give the gift of life through our Red Cross-sponsored Blood Drive. We will be led in worship by a special visit of the Mark Twain Ringers alumni handbell choir. We rejoice in the love we share with one another in this community of faith.

A Celtic prayer puts it this way: “May we grow with the greening earth, grow from the ground of glory, grow in grateful wonder of You, Great Giver of this new day.”

Together may we grow into this new season in the life of First UMC Santa Monica. May the joy we share together fill our hearts with love and gratitude. May the unrealized potential of new life all ‘round expand our horizons and spring forth in our dreams. The Great Giver of this new day is with us and among us and always going on ahead of us into a future with hope and a new song to sing.