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Kindred in Christ,

Christ is risen! And yet, even in this season of resurrection, we know that the world is still aching. Wars continue. Injustice persists. Grief lingers. Resurrection doesn’t erase pain—it works to redeem it. That’s the kind of Easter faith we’re embracing this season.

This Sunday, we begin a new sermon series for the Easter season called “Signs of New Creation.” Following the Lectionary, each week, we’ll hear from the Book of Acts and the Gospel of John—two bold witnesses to what resurrection looks like in motion. Not as a one-time miracle confined to a tomb in ancient Jerusalem, but as a Spirit-led movement disrupting the world as we know it and opening us to the world as God intends it to be.

Throughout the series we will be guided by the insights of theologian Willie James Jennings, who reminds us that, “The Book of Acts is not a story of the church getting organized—it’s the story of the Spirit breaking through human boundaries, drawing people into unexpected community, and planting signs of new creation in unlikely places.” Jennings reminds us that resurrection is not neat. It’s not tame. It’s not private. It’s disruptive to the status quo—and that’s good news especially for the disenfranchised.

This Sunday, our theme is “A Peace That Disrupts.” We’ll read from Acts 5, where the apostles stand before authorities, accused of stirring up trouble. Why? Because they won’t stop talking about Jesus—the one they say was “hung on a tree” by the powers of this world. Their message isn’t just personal—it’s political. It’s public. It challenges the very systems that tried to silence justice and love.

We’ll also read from John 20, where the risen Christ shows up to his disciples behind locked doors. He speaks words we say every week: “Peace be with you.” But this isn’t a peace that maintains the status quo. This is a peace that disrupts our fear, our comfort, and our complicity. It’s the peace of scars, still visible. It’s the peace that sends us out.

This week, we also mark the passing of Pope Francis—a humble, courageous follower of Jesus who reminded us that faith must stand with the poor, the outcast, and the suffering. Toward the end of this life, he made nightly phone calls to a parish in Gaza, listening, grieving, and praying with people under siege. His witness was not about preserving religious power, but about disrupting injustice with love.

May his memory stir something in us.
May the Spirit breathe on us again.
And may we have the courage to follow the Risen Christ into the world still being made new.

Alongside you,

Rev. Paul Ortiz

The Resurrection by Kelly Latimore

Kindred in Christ,

Easter Sunday is almost here — and I couldn’t be more excited to invite you to what promises to be a beautiful, joy-filled celebration. This year, we’re gathering for a special joint service with our friends from Green Lake UMC as we proclaim the good news together: Christ is risen — and nothing will ever be the same.

Our theme this Easter is “On the Edge of Something Big” — a reflection on what it means to stand at the threshold of resurrection and New Creation. We’ll hear again the story from Luke 24:1–12, with an interactive pop-up pageant, where the women arrive at the tomb, expecting death — but find life instead. These bold women, the first preachers of the resurrection, carried news that would shake the foundations of empire and change the world.

The resurrection isn’t just a comforting metaphor. It’s a cosmic disruption. A divine protest against all that harms, degrades, and destroys. It’s the moment when God begins remaking the world — from the inside out. And we get to be part of it.

In the spirit of resurrection and renewal, we will also welcome new members into our community — a powerful sign that the story is still being written, and the Spirit is still moving.

We’ll share in Communion, experience special music, and after worship we’ll gather for a festive brunch (sign up to bring something below) and Easter egg hunt — joyful reminders that resurrection is not just a truth we proclaim, but a feast we live and share.

So, come. Come with your questions and your hopes. Come ready to sing, to celebrate, to remember who you are and whose you are. Whether you’ve been here a long time or are brand new, you are part of this story.

Because we are, all of us, standing on the edge of something big. And through the resurrection, new life is coming.

Alongside you,

Rev. Paul Ortiz

Kindred in Christ,

As we enter Holy Week, a sacred journey of reflection and renewal, I want to personally invite you to join us for the services and events that will guide us through this transformative time. From the triumphant shouts of Palm Sunday to the quiet, sacred moments of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and finally to the joyful resurrection on Easter, this week is an invitation to journey deeper into Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

Palm Sunday – April 13^th, 11:00 AM

Our journey begins with the celebration of Palm Sunday, where we remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. On this day, the crowds shouted, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” Yet, as we wave our palms and sing “Hosanna,” we also remember that this moment marks the beginning of the final week of Christ’s life—the path of humility, resistance, and unwavering love.

This year, in my sermon titled “When Stones Find Their Voice” we will explore the powerful message of protest in Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Drawing from Psalm 118 and the history of struggle for liberation, we’ll reflect on how Christ’s entry challenges us to stand in solidarity with the oppressed and excluded, even in the face of crucifying forces. We’ll also explore the unexpected ways God’s power shows up—in the humble figure of Jesus, riding on a donkey, not a warhorse.

Maundy Thursday – April 17^th, 7:00 PM

On Maundy Thursday, we will gather at Green Lake UMC for a Supper Church liturgy and Potluck—a service of intimate reflection, community, and the ritual of handwashing. We will share in the meal that Jesus shared with his disciples, remembering his command to “love one another as I have loved you.” We will also consider the radical humility of Christ, who washed the feet of his disciples, including the one who would betray him. This is a night of community, love, and service.

Good Friday – April 18^th, 7:00 PM

On Good Friday, we will gather at Woodland Park UMC to remember Jesus’ final hours and enter the mystery of the cross and God’s solidarity with the hurting. It is a night of somber contemplation, and reflecting on a love that will never let us go, even in the darkest moments.

Easter Sunday – April 20th, 10:00 AM (joint service)

We will celebrate Easter Sunday, at a special time at Green Lake UMC, in joy and hope remembering that Christ’s resurrection brings new life to all who seek to follow in his way. We’ll celebrate together with music, Communion, and the promise of new beginnings and an egg hunt for all ages.

As we walk this Holy Week together, I encourage you to reflect on the themes of grief, love, and resurrection. Christ’s life shows us that the way to new life is often through solidarity and humility. It is a week that challenges us to reflect deeply on our own journey, our commitment to justice, and how we are called to love one another as Christ has loved us.

I look forward to journeying this Holy Week with you all and seeing you at each of these sacred gatherings. Together, let us prepare our hearts for the great mystery of Easter.

Alongside you,

Rev. Paul Ortiz

“Anointed” by Laura Pittman

Kindred in Christ,

I anticipate this Sunday to be a special and spirit-filled gathering, and I warmly invite you to be part of it!

Green Lake UMC will join our regular time of worship at 11AM for a beautiful expression of unity, shared faith, and discernment for the future. Our worship will center on the theme “Pouring Out: From Scarcity to Abundance,” drawn from our Lenten series Cultivating and Letting Go and grounded in the rich texts of Isaiah 43:16-21 and John 12:1-8.

We’ll reflect on Mary’s bold act of love as she anoints Jesus’ feet with her hair, Judas’s scandalized response, and Jesus’ unsettling yet freeing words: “The poor you will always have with you.” While Jesus’ phrase has been misused to justify inaction, we’ll explore it how it is meant to be an invitation to always remain near to the poor and marginalized—never turning away, nor never forgetting them.

Together, we’ll ask: In a world that too often trades compassion for control, and generosity for judgment, what does it mean to pour ourselves out in trust? How do we know when to give, what to release, and what God is inviting us to cultivate anew?

We’ll also be naming that discernment isn’t always easy—whether in our personal lives, our giving, or in our life as a church. But God promises: “I am about to do a new thing… do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19).

After worship, our DS. Rev. Derek Nakano will lead both congregations in a Charge Conference to vote on several important matters in the life of our shared ministry, including:

• My potential appointment as a shared pastor between our two churches
• Considering two SPRC recommendations for ministry candidates: Jemina Marasigan and Joey Chin
• Considering Rev. Jeff Shamblin-Mullinix as he retires, joins our church as member, and transfers to our Charge Conference

I hope you’ll come ready to worship, to pray, and to continue shaping the next chapter of ministry together. Your presence matters—and I believe the Spirit is moving among us in powerful ways.

Alongside you,

Rev. Paul Ortiz