March 23rd, 2024
by Matt Miofsky
by Matt Miofsky
Maybe you’ve heard the phrase, “without pain you can’t know joy.” The sentiment gets at a philosophical puzzle, namely can we know one feeling or state without experiencing its opposite. For example, we know what warmth is by experiencing that which is cold. We know peace only because we have experienced suffering. We know grace only because we have experienced judgment. You get the idea.
Something similar is true about Easter. The joy and hope that we find in resurrection only makes sense when we first experience the pain, isolation, or grief of death. That is why in scripture we have a Savior who experienced the full breadth of human experiences. He lived, he was betrayed, he suffered, and he died. Many around him wondered why this had to be the way that God showed up in the world. Even today many struggle with the stories of suffering and death that Christ experienced. Can’t we just skip over that stuff?
The answer is no. Why? Because we can’t skip over it in the world. Life entails pain, it includes suffering, and death is a reality for all of us. To skip this part would be to make our faith disconnected from the lives we live. The promise of Jesus isn’t that we will not experience pain and suffering, but rather that there is hope and new life on the other side of it. Resurrection only makes sense after one experiences the sting of death.
That is why Holy Week is a central time of worship, and it starts next week. On Maundy Thursday we will commemorate the events of the last supper where Jesus gathered with his disciples, washed their feet, and shared a meal with them. The Gathering will have an interactive open house meditative experience at the Clayton Site from 5-7pm. Join us anytime during that period and remember the events of the last night Jesus was with his disciples. On Good Friday, we will gather at 7pm at our McCausland site to commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross. Moving through Holy Week helps us to fully experience the joy of Easter, and it will be joyous!
Next Sunday, March 31, The Gathering will celebrate Easter at The Factory in Chesterfield at 9 and 10:45am. It is going to be an incredible morning of worship with uplifting music, an inspiring message, interactive kids ministry (0-5), and plenty of room for you and your friends. All of you know someone that is going through a tough time right now or may just need a word of hope or joy. This is the time to invite them. So please invite your friends and family to worship with us. We promise that it will be worth it for them.
You can find all the details here and share the word on social media. And, if you want to volunteer to serve, we would love that, and we think you will too.
This weekend I will be finishing our series Entourage: Characters in Jesus’ Crew by talking about one of the most important, yet overlooked, of Jesus’ disciples, Mary Magdalene. Have a great weekend and I will see you in church.
Peace,
Matt
P.S. This year 100% of our Easter offering will fund The Gathering’s Literacy Project here in St. Louis. I hope you will give a special gift that gives life to so many kids in our schools.
Something similar is true about Easter. The joy and hope that we find in resurrection only makes sense when we first experience the pain, isolation, or grief of death. That is why in scripture we have a Savior who experienced the full breadth of human experiences. He lived, he was betrayed, he suffered, and he died. Many around him wondered why this had to be the way that God showed up in the world. Even today many struggle with the stories of suffering and death that Christ experienced. Can’t we just skip over that stuff?
The answer is no. Why? Because we can’t skip over it in the world. Life entails pain, it includes suffering, and death is a reality for all of us. To skip this part would be to make our faith disconnected from the lives we live. The promise of Jesus isn’t that we will not experience pain and suffering, but rather that there is hope and new life on the other side of it. Resurrection only makes sense after one experiences the sting of death.
That is why Holy Week is a central time of worship, and it starts next week. On Maundy Thursday we will commemorate the events of the last supper where Jesus gathered with his disciples, washed their feet, and shared a meal with them. The Gathering will have an interactive open house meditative experience at the Clayton Site from 5-7pm. Join us anytime during that period and remember the events of the last night Jesus was with his disciples. On Good Friday, we will gather at 7pm at our McCausland site to commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross. Moving through Holy Week helps us to fully experience the joy of Easter, and it will be joyous!
Next Sunday, March 31, The Gathering will celebrate Easter at The Factory in Chesterfield at 9 and 10:45am. It is going to be an incredible morning of worship with uplifting music, an inspiring message, interactive kids ministry (0-5), and plenty of room for you and your friends. All of you know someone that is going through a tough time right now or may just need a word of hope or joy. This is the time to invite them. So please invite your friends and family to worship with us. We promise that it will be worth it for them.
You can find all the details here and share the word on social media. And, if you want to volunteer to serve, we would love that, and we think you will too.
This weekend I will be finishing our series Entourage: Characters in Jesus’ Crew by talking about one of the most important, yet overlooked, of Jesus’ disciples, Mary Magdalene. Have a great weekend and I will see you in church.
Peace,
Matt
P.S. This year 100% of our Easter offering will fund The Gathering’s Literacy Project here in St. Louis. I hope you will give a special gift that gives life to so many kids in our schools.
Posted in M-Note
Recent
Archive
2024
January
Clean Slate: Week 1 Discussion GuideStarting & Sustaining Change // M-Note 1.6.24Clean Slate: Week 2 Discussion GuideStarting Small, Dreaming Big // M-Note 1.13.24Clean Slate: Week 3 Discussion GuideTogether Towards Change...and Healthy Habits // M-Note 1.20.24Clean Slate: Week 4 Discussion GuideSlowing Down for God to Show Up // M-Note 1.27.24
February
More Isn't Always Better // M-Note 2.3.24Money Talks: Week 1 Discussion GuideAshes for Valentine's Day? // M-Note 2.10.24Money Talks: Week 2 Discussion GuideLenten Devotional 2024Money Talks: Week 3 Discussion GuideWhat's your legacy? // M-Note 2.17.24Strength in Numbers: Community in Ministry // M-Note 2.24.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week One
March
Entourage Discussion Guide - Week TwoUpdates from Clayton and Easter Invitation // M-Note 3.2.24Twenty Students Confirmed Last Sunday // M-Note 3.9.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 3How serving at Easter can really make a difference // M-Note 3.16.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 4Can You Know Joy Without Pain? // M-Note 3.23.24Entourage Discussion Guide - Week 5It's time for EasterSTL at The Factory // M-Note 3.28.24
April
Easter Discussion GuideScreen Time: Troubleshooting our Relationship with Technology // M-Note 4.6.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 1Springtime Reminders: Joy Comes with the Morning // M-Note 4.13.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 2Shaping the Future at the UMC General Conference // M-Note 4.20.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 3 General Conference Halftime Report// M-Note 4.27.24Screen Time Discussion Guide - Week 4
May
Very Good News at the End of General Conference//M-Note 5.4.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 1Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 2Announcing The Gathering’s Church Planters Lab//M-Note 5.11.24My (Hypothetical) Commencement Address // M-Note 5.18.24Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 3Uncomfortable Truths Discussion Guide - Week 4
June
July
September
Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 1Transitioning...to 47 // M-Note 9.7.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 2Invitations Work in Mysterious Ways // M-Note 9.14.24Students Stepping Up: Getting Involved in Ministry // M-Note 9.21.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 3A Stressful Season // M-Note 9.28.24Worth Sharing Discussion Guide - Week 4
October
It Doesn't Have to Be This Way // M-Note 10.5.24Hold These Truths Discussion Guide - Week 1Love Thy Political Neighbor // M-Note 10.11.2024Hold These Truths Discussion Guide - Week 2Fear is a Powerful Motivator // M-Note 10.19.24Hold These Truths Discussion Guide - Week 3Why Do Bad Things Happen? // M-Note 10.26.24Why? Discussion Guide - Week 1
2023
January
February
Explore - Week 1Explore - Week 2Explore - Week 4Explore - Week 3God is Leading Us Forward // M-Note 2.3.23SENT: Week 1 Discussion GuideSomething To Try This Weekend // M-Note 2.10.23SENT: Week 2 Discussion GuideSENT: Week 3 Discussion GuideWe're Doing Something Big! // M-Note 2.17.23Lent Devotional Day 1Lent Devotional Day 2Lent Devotional Day 3SENT: Week 4 Discussion GuideLent Devotional Day 4Lent Devotional Day 5Lent Devotional Day 6Lent Devotional Day 7
Categories
Tags
1 Kings 3
1 Kings
1 Timothy
2 Corinthians 9:5-7
2 Timothy
Belden Lane
Beyond Simple
Celebrate
Change
Christ
Commit
Confidence
Denee Bowers
Devotional
Discussion Guides
Distractions
Divine Love
Doubt
Easter
Ephesians
Equity
Evangelism
Explore
Five Shared Practices
Focus
Frederick Buechner
Fresh Take
Friends
Generosity
God
Gratitude
Hebrews
Holy Ambiguity
Holy Spirit
Hope
Humanity
Identity
Inside Voice
Isaiah
Jesus
John 21
John
Joy
Kids
King Solomon
Lectio Divina
Lent
Life
Limitations
Longing
M-Note
Matt Miofsky
Matthew
Nadia Bolz-Weber
No Filter
Open
Parables
Parenting
Patience
Paula D'Arcy
Paula D\'Arcy
Paula D\\\'Arcy
Paula D\\\\\\\'Arcy
Paul
Privilege
Proverbs 1
Proverbs
Psalms
Purpose
Questions
Redeem
Rejoice
Righteousness
Sabra Engelbrecht
Second Chance
Self-Love
Struggle
Success
The Bible
The Church
The Gathering
Timothy
Uncertainty
Untethered
Vision
Weird
acts
adulting
advice
challenge
commitment
creation
deconstruction
deconstruct
faith
finances
fitness
forgiveness
forgiving
foundation
freedom
give
growth
kelley weber
love
meister eckhart
money
mystery
new life
opportunity
reconstruction
reconstruct
redemption
relationships
responsibility
simplify
sin
social
thomas merton
transition
truth
willingness
willpower
will
young adult
No Comments