And just like that, we are in the season of Easter. Although the Easter egg hunts are over, the season of Easter in the church continues—celebrated all the way until May 24, when we reach Pentecost Sunday.
There is something about Easter that refuses to stay inside the walls of the church. It spills out. It spills into muddy yards and melting snowbanks. It spills into longer evenings and the sound of geese overhead. It spills into conversations over coffee and into the quiet moments when you notice—almost for the first time—that the world is waking up again.
Easter is not just a day. It is a way of living. This year, as we gathered on Easter Sunday, we celebrated baptism—a moment that feels especially powerful in this season of new life. We were blessed to welcome and celebrate Ella and Alivia McCormick through the sacrament of baptism.
There is something beautifully fitting about water in the spring. Water that runs where it hasn’t run for months. Water that softens the ground and makes growth possible. Water that signals change is not only coming—it is already here.
In baptism, we remember that we are claimed by that same life-giving promise. We are reminded that we belong—to God, to one another, and to a story that is bigger than we can fully understand.
And perhaps most importantly, we are reminded that new life is not something we have to earn. It is something we are given. Freely. Generously. Repeatedly.
Baptism doesn’t mean life will always be easy. But it does mean we are never alone in it. It means that even when we feel like we are standing in the middle of winter, God is already planting the seeds of spring.
And as we continue living into this Easter season together, there is much happening in the life of our community.
Thank you to all who participated in the six-week Lenten study that we hosted at lunchtime. There was so much great conversation and fellowship that we are thinking of hosting a monthly gathering—stay tuned for more details on “Faith and Feast.”
As we wait on the slow melt of snow, we look forward to many upcoming things at St. Paul’s. The walls will be alive with festival performances during the next week, and on April 21, S.A.I.L. is hosting a sing-along at 1:30 p.m.
The fundraising crew is hosting a Mother’s Day supper on May 10, 2026—we are looking forward to a great turkey meal and, of course, good company.
And before you know it, it will be time to haul out the BBQ as we prepare to kick spring off with a community BBQ on May 15, 2026.
As the season of Easter continues to unfold, may we keep noticing the signs of new life around us—and within us.
Take good care, Pastor Tanis
Discover more from St Paul's United Church - Virden
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
