By Amber Traeger
​Scripture:  John 20:19-31

By Pastor Tracey Leslie
Scripture:  Mark 16:1-8

​The story goes that, at the funeral of the great escape artist, Harry Houdini, as two of the pallbearers, Dillingham and Ziegfield, carried Houdini's casket out of the church, Dillingham leaned over to Ziegfield and whispered, "Ziggie, I bet you a hundred bucks he ain't in there." 
 
Apparently at the time of their deaths, Houdini had more believers than our Lord… because all four of our gospel accounts are in agreement that, early on that first Easter morning, Jesus' followers had pretty low expectations.  In Mark's gospel, it is Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome who go first to the tomb.  They go there early in the morning right after the sun has risen.

                                               Photograph by Lindsey Kramer

By Pastor Tracey Leslie
Scripture:  Luke chapters 19-23

We have included art within our sermon series this Lenten season.  This morning is another photograph taken by Melissa Kramer’s sister, Lindsey… a photo of a little girl blowing bubbles.  I can’t imagine there’s anyone in the sanctuary this morning that didn’t blow bubbles as a child.  Even before you bought them at the store, people knew how to make them at home with soap.  Bubbles were a rite of spring when I was growing up.  We were sent outside to play with our friends and our bubbles and our wands.  We would watch with joy as the bubbles drifted into the spring breeze and sunshine, the light creating a display of colors like a rainbow; a friendly competition of whose bubble could last the longest before it burst.  Bubbles inevitably burst.  Sometimes we destroy them ourselves if we poke them or touch them.  But often they simply and suddenly collapse for no apparent reason.  Bubbles are as fragile and mysterious as life itself.