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Welcome Good morning and welcome whether this is your first time worshipping with us or whether you have been part of this worshiping community all your life. We are all brothers and sisters and part of the same family of God. It is a blessing to be together. We lift up to God all those who could not be with us today for one reason or the other; “ Bless them, O Lord, wherever they may be and bring them back to us in your time, Amen.” Today is the third Sunday of Easter. We are continuing to explore what it means to live as “Easter People” in what often feels like a “Good Friday” world. In our gospel lesson, we hear Jesus asking Peter over and over again if he love him. Each time, Peter answers, “Yes, my Lord, you know that I love you.” By the time Jesus asked the same question the third time Peter begins to feel hurt. He feels hurt because Jesus does not seem to accept his answer. Jesus seem, no doubt, also feels hurt because Jesus feel mistrusted and is reminded of the three times Peter denied Jesus. However, despite Peter’s initial shame, Peter went on to demonstrate his love for Jesus and Jesus’s and Jesus’ disciples and people, Jesus’ sheep and lambs and sheep. Peter went on to be the leader of the early Christian movement. Legend has it that eventually Peter was crucified, for his faith. At his crucifixion in Rome, he requested that he be crucified upside down. Why crucified upside down? Because he dares not be crucified in the same position as his Savior! What about that!!?? Here the Good News. T he mark of true faith is NOT PERFECTION, but rather, TO ALLOW OUR WORST MOMENTS TO DEFINE WHO WE ARE. This leaves room for you and me to be Resurrected. May your time with us today be one in which you come to know “Resurrection Power and Light!” Yours, In Christ, Ernest Belisle (Pastor) 1

Chilmark Community Church 9 Menemsha Crossroad Chilmark, MA 02535 Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022 Welcome to our Resurrection Day Worship Service We are happy to welcome you to our Resurrection/Easter Day Worship Service. Today’s Gospel reading is from Saint John, chapter 20. This gospel has the longest resurrection account. First, Mary Magdalene, a key figure in all the resurrection accounts, came to the tomb and found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Mary was surprised by the empty tomb, so she ran to Peter and John and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him” (20:2). Peter and John came and inspected the tomb, going inside and looking around. They verified that Jesus was not there and then returned to their hiding place. Mary lingered at the sight. Jesus revealed himself to her and engaged her in a conversation, relating to her the importance of his resurrection and exaltation. In this Gospel, these two acts, the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus the Christ, seem to represent the importance of the events. We must note that Mary approached the tomb in the dark. For John, darkness is a sign of ignorance (1:5; 8:12; 12:35, 46). She is ignorant (not knowing) of where Jesus’ body was and his resurrection. Mary panic, she feared that his grave was robbed, which was common in her time. As the Sun rose and Light is given, her ignorance is dispelled, and it is only then that she met the risen Christ. What are the things concerning life and death of which you and I are ignorant? Think about it! We know truly little about death and indeed, if we dear to acknowledge it, life itself! This, sometimes, makes us fearful and even resentful of death, and indeed, life! Allow the Son to rise in you, receive the Light and you will recognize the empty tomb (death) and life for what they truly are! Look up, O doubting soul, look up! Eyes fixed upon the earth can never see the life that finds in death its glorious birth. Look up! And ever looking up, your eyes shall clearly see the tombs of earth filled with the light of immortality (Thomas Kelly) . As Mary did, may you seek and find the living Christ this Resurrection Morning! Sincerely, Ernest Belisle (Pastor)