Easter Sunday - what a joy to see so many of you come and worship Jesus with us. It was, as you saw, a bit rough. If ever we weren't going to be the big show Easter Sunday proved it. Several people commented about how Gabe stepping in to save my rough voice changed the whole mood and the Spirit of God was more present in the room.
Gabe Cortez and his wife Rainee adopted a little bundle of joy several months ago with almost no notice. They lead worship for a while but the pressure of his nursing job and care of the little guy meant they had to bow out of worship for season. Gabe's schedule has kept him at work on Sundays for months. Rainee has come alone a lot. He told me after service he'd been struggling with why God would put his talents and gifts on the shelf. He'd been feeling a bit lost and disoriented about his calling. When I spontaneously called him up, he told me the Lord clearly spoke to him. Jesus told Gabe he is not forgotten, not lost, not put aside. He is to keep himself ready and always available. When Jesus moves - he moves fast. That moment for Gabe was big for him - and I say bigger for us as a church.
I've been asking Jesus to protect the church and hold us all together this year when I go on sabbatical. Sunday proved to me that Jesus is about to call many of you to new levels of leadership and participation - even at a moment's notice. "It felt like family" several people said after service. "We're all in this together on a journey with a Jesus", people commented. They're right.
I hope you all had a great Easter and that God spoke to you in our unpolished service. He's often showing up in the weak, humble, and broken areas of life.