Easter Message

Last Sunday, at the end of our Easter service we congregants were given grocery bags with instructions to fill them and return them next Sunday. They'll be taken to a food pantry to be distributed to the poor.

At my house my boyfriend is in charge of filling both of our bags. He's searching for bargains and is carefully filling the bags with all of the items listed on the side.

This idea came from seeing Rick Warren on "Larry King Live", saying that this is what they were doing in his mega church in Southern California, Saddleback.

Warren is one of those "New Evangelicals" who believe that Jesus' message is about caring for the poor and others in need (like me sometimes) as well as saving souls.

He's receiving a lot of flack about that.


Likewise, Joel Hunter, the pastor of Northland, (a central Florida mega church.) He's working hard to bring people together where they can legitimately come together.

Recently, when he was speaking at an interfaith group on torture Hunter mentioned "the cottage industry of hostility." He said, "I don't know how much the rest of the religious leaders up here have to face this, but I tell you, I get nasty, nasty letters every time I stand up for the poor, the immigrant the torture victims."

He went on the say he gets criticized by both conservatives and liberals.

...People who are paid to make people angry. People who are paid to create enemies, so we can feel good about ourselves.

What motivates these New Evangelicals?"

Jesus was the Prince of Peace. He was (and is) all about love and reconciliation. Jesus and every writer of the 66 books of the Bible advocated for the poor.

It's the Easter message. That we all might have an abundant life here and now - as well as later.


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