To My Beloved Brothers and Sister in Christ,

April has come and gone. Easter has been celebrated. Spring is in full swing. We have thus begun a new season in the church year, having started with Easter. Now this season will lasts for 50 days, in which then Pentecost will be celebrated. However, before Pentecost is a feast day that seems to be rarely celebrated: Ascension Day. Now, the problem might be that Ascension always takes place on a Thursday, and everyone is still recovering from Lent and the last thing they want to do again is go to church in the middle of the week... again.

However, that dismisses the importance of such a day. Paul writes in Ephesians 4:9-10:

In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

It is a little hard to grasp: How can Jesus fill all things? The answer simply, first, while complexly grasped, that is this exactly what we are told in scripture, and He has the last word. Second – and this always seems to be the trump card – He is God, who fills all things and sustains all things, no limits, omnipresent (He's everywhere!).

It is amazing when you think about it: Jesus ascended in order that He would be with His whole church; to be with you and me through the rest of time. You may ask: “How does He do this?”. As complex as it might seem to understand, it is simply through His spoken Word and the Holy Sacraments administered, which is Baptism and the Lord's Supper. This is where Jesus says we can find Him, nowhere else. It is only through these Means of Grace that God places Himself for the benefit of all who hear and partake of these means to strengthen them in the one true faith.

While you do not have an ascension service, it is important nonetheless. Suffice it to say, though, we cannot just simply skip over this day. It has too much significance for us Christians and Christ's presence among us, as those Means of Grace provide us with the only vehicle of forgiveness, life, and salvation.

The Peace of the Lord be with you always. Amen.

Rev. Jonathan Holmes

The full newsletter can be found here:
http://www.faithmoorpark.com/files/pdf/2017/2017-05-Newsletter.pdf