FLUMC Lay Leader Update
Good Friday 2022
We are an Easter People!
Over the years I’ve heard that used as a moniker of the faithful, a reminder of hope, and as a claim to eternal life. But it wasn’t until recently that I have come to understand the true fullness of life connected with this phrase. From moments of true completeness, where we know we have answered God’s calling and done what was needed with our gifts and graces to help others, to those moments where we have failed miserably to reflect the love and grace of our triune God. From instances when we have known unimaginable joy to moments when we have known extreme sorrow. From times when we have been held and supported by others to times when we have been betrayed by those we never thought could possibly betray us. From moments of being held in great esteem to moments where we are treated with great injustice.
And then come those dark and depressing Good Friday moments of our lives where we find ourselves all alone, forgotten, and abandoned. So much so that we wonder, where God is in the midst of our suffering? And we begin to wonder if God really did ever truly love us. And if God does love us, why would we have to suffer so? In these moments it can seem that a part of us dies either emotionally, spiritually, or physically and we find ourselves in a place so dark that we can’t imagine any brightness ever again.
But then comes the morning of the third day. Still feeling abandoned and alone, filled with a myriad of emotions, and an emptiness that nothing can fill, we travel with Mary to the tomb where she does her final act of love as she finishes the duty of burying the dead. However, when she arrives the tomb does not hold a body but an amazing and transformational revelation. Christ is risen and the world is forever changed! And because of that moment , we too have the opportunity to forever be changed.
As one Easter lay person to another, I pray you can embrace all the joy, all the hope, and all the promise of Resurrection Sunday! May you too claim aloud “We are an Easter People”!
Alice Williams - Co-Lay Leader of the Florida Conference
Easter Message from Bishop Carter
Bishop Carter's 2022 Easter message reflects on how resurrection is found in experiences of mission. Click here to watch.
Calendar Dates
Livestream with Rev. Alex Shanks on the Protocol - April 19
Alex Shanks will be sharing about the Protocol of Grace and Reconciliation through Separation at St. John’s UMC on April 19 at 6:00 pm. We will update this announcement with additional information as it becomes available.
#BeUMC Event at St. Luke’s UMC in Orlando - April 30
Everyone hoping to find a home in the UMC is welcome to join this event. We long for a church for all of God's people, and yet we recognize that we are still not perfect. We welcome anyone longing for the UMC to be more reflective of God's kingdom here on earth. We will gather together in worship and conversation to discuss and celebrate the future of the United Methodist Church here in the Florida Conference. Registration will be $10 per participant to cover the costs of food and facilities. Click here to register.
Annual Conference - June 9-11 at Florida Southern College - Lakeland, Florida
Mark your calendars and start planning for our few days of holy conferencing together. Get more info at the AC22 webpage on the schedule, hotels, 5K Race, Nursing Kids Camp, volunteer opportunities and more.