Dear friends,

By now, the lilies have wilted, the trumpets have quieted, and the Easter candy has mostly disappeared (except, perhaps, for a few jellybeans hiding in the church office). But liturgically speaking, we’re only halfway through Easter. Which raises the question: why does Easter last fifty days?

The Church, in its wisdom, gives us a whole season—longer than Lent, in fact—to soak in the meaning of resurrection. Because resurrection isn’t something we grasp all at once. It takes time to learn how to live as Easter people, to trust that death isn’t the end, to practice hope in the face of despair. Joy, it turns out, takes practice. And transformation, whether in our own lives or in the world, rarely happens overnight. So the Church gives us seven full weeks to remember that life is stronger than death, and that God’s love still surprises us.

This coming Sunday is a perfect embodiment of Easter in action. We’ll baptize an infant into the body of Christ, confirm three young people as they take a bold step in their journey of faith, and welcome almost a dozen new members into our congregation. In a world where many are drifting away from community and belief, these moments shine with quiet resurrection power. They remind us that God is still calling, still gathering, still raising up people to walk in newness of life.

So if you find yourself feeling a little “post-Easter,” take heart. Easter isn’t a single mountaintop moment—it’s a season, a way of life. These fifty days are a kind of extended invitation to let the good news sink in: Christ is risen, and we are being raised with him. Again and again.

See you Sunday. There’s resurrection in the water, the promises, and the welcome. Alleluia!

Pastor Luther