Happy Easter! The Lord is risen!
Resurrection faith focuses on how and where we encounter the Risen Lord. As Presbyterians we are taught that we encounter the Risen Lord at the communion table during the Lord's Supper. This theology is a foundation experience in Luke 24 which has a story we call the road to Emmaus. Another way of encountering the risen Lord is through personal conversion. In Acts 9 we witness the conversion of the Apostle Paul.
I'm fascinated that in both of these stories the where of encountering the Risen Lord is on the road. Perhaps the pathways we travel are as important to encountering the Risen Lord . Think of it this way; the pathways we walk are where faith and footwear join together.
In 2015, Alice Ann Nilsen championed a mission here at JCPC called "Give a Sole to Help a Soul." With Alice Ann's leadership, the congregation collected 111 bags of shoes that were then purchased by an organization named Funds2orgs. From this effort $1,058.40 was raised for the missions of JCPC.
Once again, Alice Ann, Pam Lord, and their team will be championing our second "Give a Sole to Help a Soul" collection beginning April 23.
When was the last time (or even your 1st time) that you thought of your shoes as a vehicle of faith? I have to confess that until I experienced "Give a Sole to Help a Soul" I hadn't given my shoes a second thought. The only time I thought of them as being holy was when, well you know, when I wore out the soles.
The goal this year is ambitious; 100 bags filled with 25 pairs of shoes each. Word on the street is that some folks have already begun collecting shoes; I have five pairs at this time.
It's a funny thing how a pair of shoes can touch so many lives on our walk of life. Faith meets footwear; I kind of like the sound of that. Will you give a sole to help a soul?
The Lord is risen and rumor has it he is walking the road to somewhere; perhaps your somewhere.
Prayer for Today
We thank you O God, for the gift of Jesus and his call to discipleship. Help us to experience the Risen Lord in both expected and unexpected places. Amen.
