Easter Week 2004 Letter
Saint John's Church

Easter Week 2004

Dear Members and Friends,

All across our Church the shout goes up, "Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen, indeed! Alleluia!" As long as that cry is raised by the Episcopal Church I don't worry nearly as much about her life as some others do. Saint Paul says that no one can call Jesus 'Lord' except by the Holy Spirit, and that gives me some greater measure of confidence that the Holy Spirit is at work in our scattered trials and troubles. Despite the enormous egos at work on each side in every very public debate we engage, the Holy Spirit goes about performing powerful resurrections in the lives of our people just as always- the real evidence of what our Church is about and for. I am convinced that the resurrection of our Church as a source of power for the Gospel lies precisely in the renewal of faith in the Holy Spirit and following where it leads, and not in the comfort of anyone's version of our past or anyone's vision of our future. Step by step listening, hard discerning, and powerful resurrections from dead-ends is what characterises the Life of the Holy Spirit in us, we who are the Church. As the Easter cry goes up, we can be joyful that the Spirit is alive in our Church, comforting us with assurances against the very gates of hell, and raising us to new heights of faith, trust and communion, taking out of a generous treasury things both old and new to bring people to faith and life- to resurrection.

As parts and limbs of Christ's body in the world today, I invite each of you this Easter-tide to affirm your faith in the Resurrection and the reality of the Holy Spirit in your life and in our Church. Come alive this week- for good!

Easter joy and blessing to you all,

(The Rev'd) Jesse L. A. Parker
Rector of Saint John's Church, Huntingdon,
Waverly, Baltimore