INSIDE EVERGREEN—April 4, 2025

Hunger

With Easter in 17 days, we’re more than half-way through Lent. Lent is a season of special attentiveness to following Jesus in the way of the cross. Its roots run deep, through centuries of Christian wisdom, into the practice of early Christians and finally into the 40 days that Jesus endured deprivation in the desert. 

As we keep time with Jesus, Lent helps to grow our hunger for Christ alone as the bread of life.

Regardless of how you have observed Lent to this point, I encourage you to make the most of the final stretch. 

  • Take a moment each day to acknowledge your gratitude for the suffering of Jesus, in the desert and throughout his life. 

  • Find at least one way to free your heart to hunger more for Christ. It might mean releasing something simple like a favorite food or social media. Or it might be doing something more significant, like addressing an addiction by asking for help or filling down time with a consistent act of service or a focused prayer.

  • Anticipate Easter. Count down the days. Plan a celebration. Rejoice that the pain of the cross resolves in the surprise of the empty tomb. Your suffering, whatever you face, will not break you because Jesus has already broken suffering. He triumphed for you!

Rest

After nearly eight years of service as an elder, Gary Gagosian is receiving the gift of a six-month sabbatical from the session. (I had hoped to announce this last month, closer to the March 1 start-date, but, you know, our schedules don’t always align with hopes!) 

Like the pastoral sabbatical I enjoyed last summer, this is an intentional opportunity for rejuvenation of body and soul. The work of shepherding is at times intense and tiring, and rest is important for sustained flourishing. During this time, Gary will not participate in the regular session meetings or in the various other matters that arise for session involvement. His own personal meeting schedule will diminish some. He will also pursue various pathways of increased spiritual formation. 

That said, an elder’s sabbatical is somewhat different than a pastor’s. Gary and Leslie will remain at Evergreen, and Gary will continue to serve in a couple of small ways, most notably serving communion during worship. Psalm 23 says, “He restores my soul.” I’m sure that, if you ask Gary, he’ll be happy to share how the Lord is using this season to do just that.

Thanks

For three weeks now, with the second service, God has helped us to develop a new mode of “welcoming one another as Christ has welcomed us”. 

But I know that the concept, let alone the practice, hasn’t been a snap. 

  • All of you have adapted to a fresh expression of being Evergreen together. Thank you for trusting God to guide us in this endeavor.

  • Many of you have invested time and energy and wisdom. Thank you for giving yourselves in this way. 

  • Some of you have struggled with this development in church life. Thank you for pressing on with the joy of the Spirit, in spite of the difficulty. 

  • Some of you have found relative ease in accepting this new stage. Thank you for contributing your cheerfulness to the corporate pursuit of following Jesus.


May you rest in the unfailing love of the Father through Jesus our Lord by the presence and power of the Spirit. 

I’m grateful for you all.

--Pastor Christopher