By Tom Smith
WHEELING, West Virginia--About 90 members attended a resurrection celebration here April 7.
Their excitement grew as the song and scripture reading service progressed. Most stayed for an hour afterward for food and fellowship.
I was challenged to celebrate the resurrection in the Wheeling church by the article Ralph Orr wrote in the March 12 Worldwide News.
Ralph wrote: "Because the resurrected Christ appeared first on a Sunday morning, some members may want to commemorate the resurrection on April 7, the Sunday morning during the festival.
"Some may do this privately or in a small group; others may choose to visit a service sponsored by another denomination. They are certainly free to do so."
As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
As a church, we annually celebrated Christ's death. Now we are free to celebrate his resurrection, the event that guaranteed our salvation.
Nancy Hand of the Wheeling church commented: "The resurrection celebration seemed to really round out the week by also celebrating Jesus' life instead of just his death.
"The service had a different format consisting of video clips and lots of joyful singing and scripture readings. My 8-year-old daughter looked up at me about halfway through and said: `Oh Mommy, my tummy tickles. This is so exciting!'
"That about summed it up for all of us!"
Valeria Ann Fish said: "It was so wonderful to express in song our gratitude to Jesus for his wonderful sacrifice. The hope of the resurrection we have is worth singing about.
"I am so glad we did not look at the world around us and say they are happy today so we will not be happy until they are finished."
Bonnie Oller of the Washington, Pennsylvania, church said: "It was one of the most inspirational, uplifting services I have been a part of. Having a role in the service by reading a scripture made the experience of worship personal and rewarding."
Randy Metz of Washington said: "I went out of curiosity more than anything else. I found it to be pointed directly at Christ and his glory! We sang many songs and had scriptures read by the members, the youth, men and women, which gave us participation. "
Tom Smith pastors the Wheeling, West Virginia; Washington, Pennsylvania; and Cambridge, Ohio, churches.
May 21, 1996, Worldwide News, page six
| WCG Home | Issues | Contents |
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God,1996