By Maureen Wright

On Easter, I spoke with one of the “saints of the faith” during the passing of the peace. She shared with me her traditional Easter greeting, “Christ is risen” and the expected response of “He is risen, indeed!” Easter Sunday is a joyous celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sanctuaries are filled with echoes of the story of the resurrection, rousing preaching, inspiring music, and flowers from gardens and florists. Watching an egg hunt, I heard snippets of stories of Easter hats, gloves, and polished Mary Janes from those of us looking on. Easter eggs, bunnies, butterflies, baskets, jellybeans, and chocolate bunnies – Christians love Easter and the pomp and circumstance that often accompanies the day.

Even the most casual believers know the basics of the resurrection story – first light, the women, spices, the stone rolled away from the tomb, angels, fear and amazement, sharing the story with the disciples. The Good News of Easter is THE story, THE holiday. Easter is full of God’s joy, grace, mercy, and love poured out for the children of God.

I find myself thinking about the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ death and resurrection (see Matthew 26 – 28:10, Mark 14 – 16:8, and Luke 22 – 24:12). These stories filled with uncertainty and anxiety, fear and anger, sadness and grief offer a lens through which congregations can create spaces to reflect on their ministry and mission. Congregations are often overwhelmed by shrinking membership, shrinking budgets, shrinking energy, and buildings that need continual care and big money. The stories of our churches echo the stories of Jesus’ death and resurrection, including the uncertainty and anxiety, fear and anger, sadness and grief.

As a denomination and a Presbytery, we have resources and processes for organizing churches, for creating New Worshipping Communities. We have resources and processes for those seeking ordination as ministers of Word and Sacrament, for training Authorized Lay Preachers and Commissioned Pastors. We have resources and processes for churches to call pastoral leaders. We have resources and processes for churches as they consider shared pastoral leadership and mergers. We have fewer resources and scant processes to support churches as they consider questions about the end of their arc of ministry and dissolution as a church. This story of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection is THE scripture as churches think about their mission and ministry, their life and legacy.

As you read the story, what do you discover when you consider these questions:

  • Where do you see the work of the Spirit in this story?
  • With whom in this story do you identify and why?
  • What does this story say about following God, even when God’s call is uncomfortable or difficult?
  • What does this story say about interplay of belief and doubt?
  • Where do you see hope in this story?
  • What does the story say about death and resurrection?
  • What does the story say about dreams and disappointments?
  • Where do you see your church in this story?
  • In what new ways do you hear God’s call to faithful obedience for your church?
  • In what ways does this story of death and resurrection help your congregation name its uncertainty and anxiety, fear and anger, sadness and grief?

THE story is not just for congregations who will choose dissolution immediately or even in six months to a year. This conversation helps congregations think about what is important to the members of the church and its community – what are the priorities for mission and ministry in the next year or three years or five years. Decisions can be made that allow for grace and love. It allows for conversations regarding stewardship and legacy. These conversations allow churches to have agency in decision making. I encourage sessions and Sunday school classes, pastors and ruling elders and deacons to reflect on this resurrection story as a way to talk about where you are as church.

I share my Easter greeting, Christ is risen. I am listening to hear, He is risen, indeed! I look forward to hearing and seeing how your congregation is living out THE story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.