May 2025 Chimes

Dear siblings in Christ,

The lilies are beginning to wilt. The Easter eggs are long gone. But the resurrection? That’s still happening.

Easter is not just a day—it’s a season, and more than that, it’s a way of life. The tomb is still empty. Christ is still risen. And the call to live as people of resurrection is as urgent as ever.

But how do we live the resurrection in the ordinary rhythms of our lives?

“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is… Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

— Colossians 3:1-2

This passage from Colossians reminds us that resurrection is not only a future promise—it’s a present reality. When we were baptized, we were united with Christ not just in death, but in resurrection. That means we are already living the new life that Easter proclaims.

Yet resurrection life doesn’t always feel grand or glorious. Sometimes it looks like forgiveness, offered quietly and without fanfare. Sometimes it’s the courage to speak the truth, to reach out, to show kindness in a culture that celebrates competition. It’s the commitment to hope when cynicism feels easier.

At St. Paul’s, we see signs of resurrection life in so many ways:

— In the produce that will soon be harvested from our garden and shared with hungry neighbors

— In inclusion and welcome to all people, especially the most vulnerable

— In the compost returned to the earth as a sign of renewal

— In the plastic collected and transformed into a bench, a seat for rest and prayer

— In meals packaged with love for Caring for Friends

— In every small act of kindness, compassion, and care

These are not just good deeds. They are resurrection acts. They are signs that death does not get the last word—not in the world, and not in us.

As Easter people, we are invited to live with joy, to act with bold hope, and to see with eyes open to God's ongoing work of renewal.

So this season, let us ask ourselves:

What would it mean to live like the resurrection is real?

What in your life needs to be unburied?

What is God calling to new life in you?

Christ is risen indeed. May our lives say so, too.

In Christ,

Pastor Laura

Read the full Chimes HERE.