Do not read this. The last thing you need to do is read this.

Like I said, don't read this. Skip this article. Go read something else. Quickly, now!

There once was a pear tree. No one cared for pears. And then someone put up a fence that said "Keep Out." And then, a lot of people tried to climb the fence and eat those now-interesting pears.

Once there was a garden. And the two people in it could eat from any of the trees. But God said, "Folks, please don't eat from that one tree over there. It's not a good idea." And, after a moment of temptation (where God's word was sidestepped), they ate the forbidden fruit.

And ever since then, people have been less than perfect. The broad message of the Bible is that God has been seeking out humanity ever since that moment of imperfection. Through the law and the prophets, through the Spirit, through His Word, and ultimately through Christ, God has been pursuing people. He wants us to know Him and His presence and His love. He has stopped at nothing. He has given His life. He has spent it all.

Good Friday is coming. It is the night when we remember the imperfections. A gospel hymn is often sung on this occasion: "O, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" There have been many times when the sign read "Keep out," and we jumped in. Conversely, other times the sign read "Enter in," but we stayed out. We remember that our Savior bore our imperfections, so that an access road between ourselves and God could be paved. Now we CAN have a relationship with our God. The removal of sin is not some device of the church to keep people groveling. The removal of sin, through faith in Christ, opens up life to us, both now and forever.

But is all this really true? God dying so people could know God? Sins heaped on Jesus, so these sins would not be in the way of a relationship with God? God taking the initiative beause He loves us so mch? Law, Prophets, Spirit, Word, Jesus? Friends, circumstances, whispers, nudges? God, the hound of heaven, wooing His creation to come towad Him? To take faith steps toward Him? So we could find life? How do I know this is true?

Easter Sunday is coming. AND IT IS ALL TRUE. The sins put upon the heart of Jesus. His life lived to show us the way. Hope in this life and the next. IT IS ALL TRUE. Some say truth is what you perceive. Others say truth is what you believe. Ah, but empty tombs don't lie!

So the truth, as we head toward Easter Sunday is indeed this: Real life is found in a real relationship with the real God who is really risen from the dead! This truth was not a figment of the imagination of deluded disciples. This truth was not the melancholy musings of bereaved people. History tells us that the tomb was guarded by the equivalent of a Roman Green Beret unit. The real tomb was empty because God really raised Jesus from the dead. Now we can really take the step of faith toward God. For God is really alive. He really does love you and He always has. He has pursued you all your life, so you would find a life of faith and confidence in him. He has purpose and mission, meaning and significance waiting for you, if you will step toward Him, and grasp new life.

Don't read this. Don't read further. Nothing you read further will be good for you.

But we do want to read further, and climb the pear tree fence, and eat the forbidden fruit. God knows it, but He is not intimidated by our imperfections. He really, truly wants you to find fresh life in Him. IT IS TRUE. FOR HE IS RISEN.

I am glad you read this far. And I hope that the love of God will encompass you in a whole new way as you step toward your risen Lord. What might this step of faith look like for you?

Rev. Brad Thompson

As I write this letter, I think that Spring has arrived.! Today is a beautiful warm day and it makes me think of Easter and the Lenten season. I liked it when Pastor said we didn't have to give up anything, but we could add something to our regular life to help us become closer to God. How about adding St. Paul's Sunday worship to your Lenten schedule? There are some people who have been missing from our worship service and we would love to see you come back.

On Good Friday, we are going to have a combined service with our space sharing partners, Santa Maria De Guadalupe. We will be combining our services and have a joint service for both faiths. The Council is looking forward to this new idea and hope to see many St. Paul's people in attendance. This is one of the our most meaningful services and hopefully will be experienced by all.

We had a huge success with our Lenten Fish Fry Dinners. Thanks to all of the many people who helped with set-up, cooking, serving and cleanup. Our list of volunteers is growing and this makes it easier on everyone, but there is still room for more if anyone would like to help! We are looking forward to our Spring Tea which is April 25th at 1:00 p.m. Tickets will be available shortly. Please buy them early so we can plan the food properly. In May, we are going to have the "first-ever Back Yard Bar-B-Que" in our field. Entertainment will be provided by Looney Train (Steve Dawson's band). Invite your family and friends! Everyone is welcome!

As always, if you have any concerns about St. Paul's, please talk to me or any of the Council members listed in the directory on page 14 of The Visitor. We are doing our best, but your help is also needed if we are to meet the challenge of growing both the ministries and attenders at St. Paul's!

Have a happy Spring!

Yours in Christ,
Debbie Wisowaty
Council President

Save the Date - Saturday, May 16, 2009
9:00 a.m. until Noon
Child Identification Program

Boy Scout Troop 152, led by Scout Master Martin Markiewicz, in conjunction with the Masons of Illinois, will be holding an identification workshop at St. Paul's in the Fellowship Hall on Saturday, May 16, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. until Noon. The program is called the Illinois Child Identification Program (IL CHIP) and is sponsored and paid for by the Freemasons of Illinois. It is entirely FREE OF CHARGE TO PARENTS.

Here is what the parent will receive at this IL CHIP EVENT for each child:

COLOR PHOTO - that records image and height and is digitized on a CD.
DNA SAMPLE - taken through a saliva cheek swab. (This is the latest tool in the scientific arsenal to make positive ID's of lost children.)
FINGERPRINTS - will be taken - the oldest form of positive identification since they are unique to every person.
RECORDED INTERVIEW - captured on the same CD as the picture, the appearance, speech patterns, personal characteristics and mannerisms for easy media distribution.

The entire process takes only 10 minutes and will supply parents with a complete child identification package that can be taken home or carried with the family on vacation. The information, most of which is contained on a CD, is compact AND TOTALLY PRIVATE. The IL CHIP Program keeps only the parental permission form on file.