It is “Easter Tuesday”. Holy Week is over. The Easter Sunday service is over. I took Monday off to “rest”. Okay, actually I had to replace a leaking pipe on the kitchen sink and unclog the shower, but I did take the day off.

Now that it is all over, I want to reflect on the past week. After her first Holy Week, a friend and colleague began calling it “Holy Cow Week”. Holy Week can be grueling. It is not just a few “extra services”. Each service requires energy – physical, emotional and spiritual energy. The Palm Sunday service is filled with pageantry but in our case, shifts into the passion. On Maundy Thursday, instead of a sermon, I do drama – usually a monologue of one of the biblical characters. This year I was Pontius Pilate. Trust me; even a short drama takes a lot of energy to deliver. On Good Friday the service was small and quiet, but reading the passion scriptures is quite emotional. By Sunday morning, I was running on adrenaline, and there was still a big service to do.

The Easter Sunday morning service is always a joyous event. We have extended family, visitors and many members attend. It is always great to see the sanctuary packed – and there is a lot of energy in the room. This year was no exception – and I was fired up and ready. My sermon on Easter is pretty simple – the resurrection happened, and its power and effect are still relevant. He was not just risen 2000 years ago, but He is still risen. This should mean something to us all. God has acted in the world, God is acting in the world and God will act in the world. God is always at work, and we, as His followers, should claim that “resurrection power” as we act in the world as well.

Brothers and sisters, He is (still) risen! He is (still) risen, indeed!

Bill