Apr. 23, 2025
The Sunday after Easter, often called the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, provides a time for reflecting on the ongoing impact of Christ’s resurrection and the ongoing work of grace in our lives. This day emphasizes the importance of faith, repentance, and the enduring love and mercy of God.
Key Themes for Reflection:
- The Ongoing Presence of the Risen Christ:
The Second Sunday of Easter is a reminder that the resurrection is not just a historical event, but a continuing reality that impacts our lives today.
- Divine Mercy and Forgiveness:
This day is often celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday, highlighting God’s boundless compassion and willingness to forgive our sins.
- The Importance of Faith and Grace:
The readings and reflections emphasize the need to trust in God’s grace and to persevere in our faith despite challenges.
- Living out the Gospel:
The Sunday after Easter calls us to live out the principles of love, compassion, and service, following the example of the early church and the disciples.
- Renewed Commitment:
This day can be a time to re-evaluate our commitment to living a life that reflects the resurrected Christ.
But now, Easter has passed. This might not affect you, as you planned for Easter was with the same fervor you exhibit any other week. But maybe you feel like you’re on the bus ride home after youth camp; like the crash that comes after an emotional high.
The Sunday after Easter can seem like back to business as usual. You aren’t putting in extra effort. Your church isn’t offering additional service times. People will not be spilling into the aisles and standing in the back of the auditorium. But that does not mean the next Sunday is less important.
We gather each week on Sunday morning because of the miracle of the risen Christ on the first day of the week. It is because of the resurrection that the church gathers Sunday after Sunday in the power of the resurrection. Any time the church of Jesus gathers together it is a big deal, worthy of our best offerings, and be assured we are carried by his grace.
My prayer is that as worship leaders, we will rest in the finished work of Jesus. It is in this rest that we are able to work wholeheartedly with skill and faithfulness in our task to lead. Whether this Sunday is an all time low attendance, or your church continues to advance numerically, our confidence is not tied to the amount of people in our church but to the steadfastness of Christ’s unwavering love. This Sunday, stand in front of your own church wearing your own armor and boldly tell the wondrous story of the life, death, resurrection, and return of Jesus. Every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday. Written By Matt Boswell
The Believers Share Their Possessions
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
Acts 4:32-35
Worship Calendar
Apr. 27 Mission Awareness Sunday Mission Team
May 4 Silver Jubilee Anniversary Deuteronomy 8:1-10 & Philippians Rev. Jan Hieminga
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mission Awareness Sunday
This is a reminder that this Sunday, April 27th is Mission Awareness Sunday. The mission committee will share what it’s been doing and will give an in-depth presentation on all the exciting, wonderful things that happened in Guatemala back in March. This team has put a lot of thought and effort into planning this service. You won’t want to miss it!
Thank You’s
Many thanks to all who made the Lenten/Easter Season move so smoothly.
- Pastor Eric – For leading the Lenten Lunch discussions
- Kathy Twynam – For filling in when Pastor Eric was unable to lead the Lenten Lunch discussions
- Dave Taylor – For building us a beautiful Candle Liturgy pyramid
- Susan Chopp – For finding and facilitating the Lenten Candle Liturgy
- Nancy Green and Susan Chopp – For setting up the church for the Stations of the Cross
- Lynne Bishop – For decorating the church for Lent and for sending a small team detailed
- instructions on how to set up the church for Easter (Kathy Twynam, Susan Chopp, Al Bishop and Norma
- Hendershot)
- Sheila Thomas and the Outreach Team – For organizing and delivering a delicious Pancake Supper
- and a Good Friday Hot Cross Bun breakfast
- Al Bishop, Nancy Johnston and Helen Cuthbertson – for so ably organizing the Flower Cross for Easter
- Sunday
- All the readers, candle snuffers, etc., etc., etc. – Who made all of our services run so smoothly
As you can see, it does take a village to run things smoothly. We are so blessed to have such a
wonderful “village” here at Graceview.
Good-Bye and Best Wishes
This Sunday will make the end of Boris Treivus’ time with us at Graceview. He sadly has decided to move on. We wish him nothing but good fortune and success in his future endeavours. He has pushed the choir to achieve things that we thought were not possible and for that we are truly grateful. Join us downstairs on Sunday, for a “Cupcake Farewell” to Boris.
A Spring Devotional Update: (Updated Mar. 25, 2025)
A new edition of These Days (April/May/June), as well as the current edition of Our Daily Bread (March/April/May) are available on the table in the church vestibule and in the devotional box on the church porch.
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Residents of Parkland on Eglinton have booked a Mary Morton bus trip on Wednesday, May 14th to Stratford to see “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” at the Avon Theatre after Chicken Supreme entrée lunch at the Parlour Inn for $227. 00 each. Please call Maureen at 416-433-8148 if interested.