A Journey to Easter

Every American above the age of 35 remembers where they were and what they were doing on the morning of September 11, 2001; it was a banner day. March 2020 was a banner month, and a lot of us currently measure time by what came before and what came after it. We say “before Covid” as if it were the actual B.C. by which our calendar is arranged.

The biggest B.C. project I was working on last March was the Journey to Easter. It was to be an enhanced version from our “maiden” event in 2019. Except that like most everything else, it didn’t happen. Now here we are a year later, having learned a lot about how to “do church” in the 21rst century, and I am very excited about ECC’s new upgraded virtual 2021 Journey to Easter. Many volunteers with varied talents came together over the past few weeks working behind the scenes to bring you a video journey for families and friends of all ages.

Before I give you the details of how you can experience it for yourself, I want to praise the Lord for answering these pre-recording requests:

• all participants were healthy, no scrambling for last-minute substitutes
• everyone was joyful in their service and uncomplaining, in spite of challenges
• we were unified in purpose and spirit
• the recording flowed smoothly (even though it took MUCH longer than we anticipated!)
• we worked with wholeheartedness, cheerfulness, and a God-glorifying standard of excellence and innovation

It is difficult to convey to you the joy I experienced in working with these people: Nate McEnaney, Patrick Marsh, John Wood and Diana Wood, Jacob Stacy, Emily Dickard, Lucy Marsh, Judy Langdon, Anna and Susannah Boerner, Emily Lanning, Michael and Erin Lyons, Matthew Quarry, Jack and Linda Young, Jesse Cupp, Sarah Evans, David Miller, Holly and Harley Grim. Their efforts are going to bless you and honor the gospel.  Truly being a part of the body of Christ at ECC is delightful!

Beginning on Palm Sunday, you can tune in each day through Easter to our church’s YouTube channel for a 5-7 minute vignette designed to help you consider who Jesus is, what He has done for you, and what is still to come in the biggest journey of all, the one that began before time.

We’ll include along with each day’s video, a link to a brief devotion that you can use with your friends and/or family to dig a little deeper into the Journey and prepare your heart for Easter. Yes, I do encourage you to reach out to friends, who might not know Jesus, to watch and discuss with you! And on Easter Sunday, we’ll release the Journey in its entirety so that you can watch it as a continuous program. In the meantime, as you anticipate this event, please pray that God’s grace will be evident in the finished product and that these videos will bless each viewer and help them focus on the beauty of the gospel through the message of Easter.