05 Apr Claim Hope This Easter, Together

Dear Westwood Church family,

I am excited to invite you to participate in our Easter celebrations this year; this is such a meaningful time to experience the grace-filled hope of our faith, as a community.

It’s such a gift to gather together, to claim hope and embody compassion. When we sing “Hallelujah” on Easter morning, it gives voice to a joy we need to believe in. In The Loft with a gospel choir, or in The Sanctuary with trumpets and timpani, our worship on Easter takes us to a next level; the wonder of resurrection startles us with a love that’s deeper and wider than we have dared to imagine.

I think of Mary, who comes to Jesus’ tomb on Easter morning; in John’s gospel, she talks to Jesus without recognizing him. “Who are you looking for?” he asks, his teasing question giving us a chance to see how impossibly, beautifully wild the Easter miracle is. As we read the story all these centuries later, the question remains: What are we looking for? Have we recognized God’s presence when it’s standing right in front of us?

I want to invite you to be a part of these questions this year – I invite you to claim your belonging in our community of faith as we celebrate and marvel at the gift of resurrection hope. I encourage you also to extend an invitation to someone else. I believe that we have something incredible to share with the world.

We also invite you to consider making a special Easter Offering through the church this year. Like last year, we will use this offering to support others in need in our community. This Offering will go to support the Echo Park Immigration Center at Echo Park UMC, and our Good Samaritan Fund, which provides direct assistance to people in need. You can use the enclosed envelope, or give online to the Easter Offering (www.westwoodumc.org/give).

May the gift of resurrection be yours this Easter.
Pastor Molly