We wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Easter!

Easter, which celebrates Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead, has traditionally been one of the most important holidays for Christians. Christians in the West celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox, so because of that, Christians can observe Easter anywhere between March 22 and April 25 every year. 

The exact origins of the name "Easter" are unknown. Some sources say the word derives from the spring and fertility goddess. Other accounts trace the word to the Latin term hebdomada alba, an ancient reference to the white clothing worn by people who got baptized at that time. In Spanish, Easter is called Pasqua; in French, Paques. These words come from the Greek and Latin Pascha or Pasch for Passover. Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection occurred after they went to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, the Jewish festival commemorating the Israelites' exodus from enslavement in Egypt, which we can read about in the Old Testament book of Exodus. Pascha eventually came to mean Easter.

Jesus died and was placed in a tomb on Good Friday. To the outside world, it seemed pretty hopeless. Jesus' family, friends, and followers watched him die and were so upset they beat their breasts, and in the NLT, it says, "went home in deep sorrow" (Luke 23:48, NLT). But God was still at work! The resurrection of Jesus on the third day (Easter Sunday) was still to come, and then there was the coming of the Holy Spirit!

During the almost two months after Jesus' death, He had many interactions with his disciples. He continued to guide them, teach them, and encourage them. Unfortunately, in our culture, we often celebrate Easter and then move on without realizing that the story did not end with the resurrection. What happened during the time between Easter and Pentecost? Then we have the actual period of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down, and the opportunity to have the Holy Spirit dwell in our hearts has arrived!! What a fantastic opportunity to dig deep into our scriptures and continue Jesus's journey after his resurrection. It was an important time to focus on the mission, reach out to others, teach and encourage others, and experience the indwelling of the Holy Spirit!

So, we hope you had a wonderful Easter celebrating Jesus' resurrection, enjoying the promises of God, and spending time with loved ones. We also hope you continue celebrating the journey between Easter and Pentecost and the gift of the coming of the Holy Spirit in the upcoming weeks!

Luke 24:6-8 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified, and on the third day be raised again.'" Then they remembered his words.

1 Peter 1:3: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Acts 1:3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to themover a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 

Acts 1:7-9 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth." After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

(Reference: Excerpt from www.historychannel.com)

In January 1969, after a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, people's passion and energy for ecological activism, particularly regarding air and water pollution, turned into a group of activists inspired to dedicate themselves to encouraging all Americans to be proactive and environmentally conscious. They named their initiative Earth Day, immediately catching the media's attention. Since more than a day is needed to achieve the desired results regarding climate solutions, Earth Month was created and first celebrated on April 4, 1970. (From article https://nationaltoday.com/earth-month/)

Earth Month gives us many opportunities to get out into our communities and meet people, hang out with friends, and do things to love our planet Earth!

Psalm 24:1-2 The Earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. 

There are many ways to get involved and focus on spending more time and energy figuring out how to better care for the Lord's planet. There are many websites with programs and ideas, and if you are interested, here is one to help you get started and see what the Spirit may be calling you to do. EarthMonth.Ecochallenge.Org has a 30-day program focusing on environmental and social engagement, showing many different actions a person can take. Different kinds of actions resonate with different values, and the website has a variety of actions listed, asking people to commit to the actions for at least 30 days to reinforce helpful habits. It is a great website to learn about simple ways and new things we can do to take better care of the Earth. The website says. "This year's theme, "Conserving Every Ecosystem, Caring for Every Creature," highlights the intersection of conservation and behavior change. By focusing on daily actions and continuous learning, we aim to create a sustainable and just world, not just for humans but for all species and ecosystems we rely on."

Psalm 121: 1-2 I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and Earth.

There are so many fun ways to celebrate Earth Month, but the best is to commit to daily prayer for all of us in our communities, to make better decisions and take care of what our Maker has given us to call home. 

Join us for our next monthly Sister's Breakfast!

Time:  9 AM

Place:   Sara’s Southern Kitchen Coffee Shop

Address: 27 East Main Street, Los Gatos, CA 95030

All sisters and female friends are welcome! We look forward to a time where we can talk, hang out and just enjoy some time out as women. We hope you can join us this month for this breakfast. If you can, please RSVP by Sunday 3/31 if possible. If not, you can always send an email and see if we can fit you in. We will do what we can to make it work.

We hope to see you there! 

Join us for one of our Sunday church services around the Bay Area. Next weekend, we will have services in Oakland/Alameda, Tri-Valley, the South Bay, Peninsula, Palo Alto, and SF City.

Our Winter Midweek Classes are coming to an end soon, but two of our sessions will meet on Wednesday at 7:30 on Zoom.

We have Earth Day events coming up in April, which we are doing in partnership with HOPE worldwide. They are on our website. Please check them out and consider signing up early to ensure you get a spot.

Our sister church in Sacramento has invited us to attend their marriage retreat in Sonoma next weekend. The retreat is FREE, and you only need to pay for your hotel and expenses. Pre-registration is required, so please sign up ASAP.

There is a Regional Singles retreat in Anaheim in the fall. Still, early registration gives you a big discount, so please consider signing up before May 1 to get the most significant discount.

We have these events and more happening with us at SF Bay Fellowship, and we hope you can join us soon! Please check out the information above and more by clicking on the button below.