Easter, mimosas, community and a feast

Easter was different this year. I have memories of many wonderful Easters in my past, and there are numerous ways and forms in which the Resurrection of Jesus can be named and celebrated. This year was different from previous Easter celebrations...and it was good.

It was a celebration with our new church, The Bridge. The one glaring absence was not being able to be with our two children, but that is now part of our life when you live in three different cities.

This was also something we had in common with most of the 25, from The Bridge, who showed up at our place for a day of celebration: their immediate family didn't live in Denver. Part of what made this a special celebration is that there was an obvious warmth and genuine sense of community as we were together. And, we were together, most of us, for about 6 hours.

Here's what kicked off the idea: a study group of 8 from the church went through N.T. Wright's book, Surprised by Hope, this past winter. It's about the Resurrection of Jesus (yep, just that: Jesus was dead and buried, and he was resurrected back to life...a body- not a disembodied spirit), and about hope, and about rejecting an escapist view found in some circles of Christianity (in that view- we live, "accept Jesus," die, go to heaven and don't give a hoot about this world/earth because "we're outta here!"). It was a wonderful study and had impact on us- thinking about how we live and function in the world. In Denver. In our neighborhoods.

So...Wright says Easter needs to be a time when we "take things up" in the same way Lent is a time to "give things up." Easter should be our highest celebration! "Champagne for breakfast!" One night, a member of the study group said we ought to think about our Easter celebration: "why not have mimosas!" We did.

We had coffee, rolls, casseroles and other breakfast foods starting at 10:00 a.m. We talked and laughed. We had mimosas and a tasteful, meaningful toast (not a cheesy affair) acknowledging the Risen Christ, that our lives our changed, that we want to follow him as Lord, and celebrating our community being built on Jesus....We had four "testimonies" about the meaning of the Resurrection for personal lives and for The Bridge. (I had tears as I listened to these representative voices.) I shared a proclamation of why Easter matters. We prayed and read Scripture....And, we had a feast- everyone contributing to this great meal.

We talked, laughed and enjoyed each other.

While I don't want to make this more than what it is, I also don't want to minimize it. This was a significant day for us as a church. It was both a culmination of the past 7 months (when we started the church); it was also a launch into the future with zeal, joy, hope and energy. Empowered by the Risen Jesus.

This was also important: 2 attended as guests for the first time. They were welcomed and it was also symbolic: there is always an open space for new people in this community. As new people have joined these past 7 months, more will join in the months and years ahead: joining this Resurrection band seeking to follow Jesus, live this out in Denver, and endeavor to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others who seek, are lost, poor, suffering or cast aside by society.

And, I mean this in any way but cheesy: Easter- it's all about Jesus and I'm full of joy!