The Open Door
Cape May Presbyterian Church
The Visitors' Church for over a century: Obedient in faith we intend to work together to touch the lives of others and be disciples of the Lord.
March 30, 2023 - The Open Door
_______________________________________________________________
I am so grateful to the Monday afternoon Bible study group—incidentally, to my joy, an ever-growing and changing collection of people. Their willingness to go with me during Lent into the Bible's discussions of death and resurrection has opened me up to Matthew's story of the resurrection in a new way. The Easter story was our destination through this series of studies and sermons.
Unlike in Mark’s gospel, in Matthew the women who come to the tomb do exactly what the angel tells them to do. They run--in fear, yes, but also in joy--to tell the disciples what the angel told them. And they have barely begun to run when suddenly there is Jesus himself, greeting them so casually as to be a little bit hilarious. “Hi!” he basically says to the surprised women, and then he urges them on their way.
It's almost as though the author of Matthew knows us personally. He knows that we're inclined to sing the hymns, eat the chocolate bunnies and forget the whole thing. So the gospel writer shakes us with earthquakes, in case we weren't getting the importance of someone rising from the dead. Knowing we might doubt, he assures us that there were witnesses, that guards had to be bribed not to testify to Jesus' resurrection themselves. He shows us the risen Jesus, up close and personal, saying “hi,” as though he is talking directly to us. In short, Matthew wants us to understand that the resurrection is real and it’s a big deal. It is both a cosmic, literally earth-shattering, event and a major political inconvenience, a threat to the status quo.
The resurrection is the destination of the season of Lent, in some ways the destination of the story that has been building since Advent. But the resurrection is also, and more so, rebirth. The moment when all things become new. A human being, broken, betrayed, condemned, and forsaken, emerges alive and giving life. It is the moment when the thing we knew for a fact was lost forever has been returned, renewed.
We live in a world of impossibilities; members of Congress can’t work together, Russia can’t stop its aggression in Ukraine, addicts can’t stop living for the next hit, we can’t keep powerful guns out of the hands of troubled young men. Easter invites us into a world where there are no impossibilities. Flowers can bloom out of concrete. Ecosystems can recover with amazing speed. People can learn to live together in peace. Hope can come out of the grave, walk up to those who believe, and say hi.
Wishing you all the mysterious blessings of Holy Week,
_______________________________________________________________
Blessing of the Waters
Join community representatives, local clergy, and other people of faith for a Blessing of the Waters on April 1, at 11 am at the Fishermen's Memorial, 1021 Baltimore Ave. The brief service gives thanks for all that the sea adds to our lives and its place in our community, while we pray for a safe year for all whose daily lives and livelihoods interact with the power of the water.
_______________________________________________________________
Monday afternoon Bible study takes a two-week break...
...on either side of Holy Week, but we will meet again on April 17th (4 pm) to dive into the Book of Ruth, accompanied by Borders and Belonging, by Padraig O'Tuama and Glenn Jordan. The short, evocative book is available online or can be borrowed from the pastor, so get your copy now and we'll see you in a couple of weeks!
_______________________________________________________________
The Friendly Mug Club
This a new group for those who've lost a spouse (recently or otherwise) and could use a friend or two. The group will meet for dinner and discussion about its own future at the pastor's house on March 30th, at 6 pm. Let Pastor Nicole know if you can join us and she'll give you directions!
_______________________________________________________________
Holy Week at Cape May Presbyterian
April 2 - Palm Sunday
9 am traditional service
11 am jazz celebration service
April 6 - Maundy Thursday
7:30 pm Tenebrae Service with Communion in Wedgwood Room
April 7 - Good Friday
9 am Ecumenical Stations of the Cross begins at Convention Hall
April 9 - Easter Sunday
6:30 am Sunrise Service at Decatur Beach
(NOTE the unusual location this year! Construction at the Cove!)
8:45 am traditional service with choir and bells
11 am jazz celebration service
_______________________________________________________________
Miss church last week? The text of recent sermons are available on the church's website, and of course videos of the 9 am service are always available on YouTube and Facebook.
_______________________________________________________________
Our Church Staff:
Pastor: Rev. Dr. Nicole Wilkinson
Organist/Choir and Bell Choir Director: Carol Obligado
Keyboardist/Jazz Leader: Greg Pordon
Office Administrator: Nancy DeSantis
Sexton: Onesimo Corona