Easter Weekend Reflections

Ray Strauss, Pastor of the Church at Sun Valley, sent us this update:

Joe, one of our greeters at church, said to me on Easter morning, "You look like a kid on Christmas." Well, I felt like a kid on Christmas! First of all, our mission team from Grace Place Baptist Church in Oklahoma did a great job with our children's sports camp all week. Then they canvassed nearly our entire neighborhood with door-hangers to invite as many people as they could to church on Easter. It reminded me of Jesus' parable about the Wedding Feast, "Go to the highways and byways and invite everyone...for there is still room!"
As if that was not impressive enough, the second course of the best week was our Saturday morning Easter Egg Hunt. Our wonderful friends at Grand Community Baptist Church filled 2000 eggs with Candy! When over 200 people showed up for the hunt, the WOW factor was in full effect. With four fields marked for each age group, every child had a basket full of eggs! Parents and Grand parents could not take enough pictures as the little ones scampered and raced toward the ripe harvest awaiting. We cannot thank GCBC enough for all they did to collect, organize and fill the 2000 eggs!
Some other note worthy moments were visiting with new families and hearing their stories. One family from Minnesota was stuck in our perfect weather until the snow could be cleared from the airport back home. Thanks God for the sunny and 78!
Now for the dessert. Easter has been the day set long ago as our church plant's official launch. It was our 10th week to meet in our school and up until this day, we have been more focused on discipling our small group to prepare for what we expected the Lord to do.
Then it happened. 9:30am, they started showing up. A few at first, but then they kept coming. Up until Easter, our highest attendance was 75. To be honest, I expected God to do something cool, amazing, HUGE. That is His style. To break 100 would be acceptable for our launch. Somehow, with the previous week’s activities, one would have to be blind to not see His fingerprints all over our church and community. He was up to something and it was going to be big!
I knew this for another reason. The spiritual warfare I was enduring that weekend was intense! God prevailed and that morning revealed why. At 10am, we had to add row upon row of chairs. I mean, the people kept coming! When we ran out of available seating, we needed inside the storage room to get more chairs, but it was locked! Pastor Daniel ran down the hall to get a teacher to unlock the room. When Daniel showed up with her, she could not have uttered more apt words as they walked into the gym. "Oh my!" Needless to say, she stayed for the service.
Alan, our incredible Worship Leader, and his buddy lead us in a great lineup. As people kept coming, a sense of spiritual community was building. The atmosphere was alluring. Usually, it is easy to spot the Easter only church goers. They are the fidgety ones. While they were still present, I could see them relax and become engaged as the service progressed.
Soon after the welcome and into the second song, it happened. The singing crowd softened and heads began to turn. First to the right, then down, and finally back. Junior had arrived! No, he’s not the rebel rouser finally coming to Jesus. Junior is a neighbor's Dachshund. Apparently The Church at Sun Valley is so "happening" that even our canine friends are showing up! The only thing more humorous than a weenie-dog sneaking in the door and running around the Easter service is the Senior Pastor chasing him down during the Easter service!
After Junior was excommunicated, the worship service continued with amazement. It was inspiring to watch the Lord bring 175 people to church that day. The gospel message was clearly shared and many hearts were committed to Jesus that day. To God be the glory! Easter was a great day!