Newsletters

CREATOR CONNECTION    APRIL 2026
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

From the Pastor’s Desk

 “Staying Past the Question”
An Easter Reflection for the Church of the Creator

 Dear Creator Family,

 Most of us have learned, in one way or another, to ask practical questions about everything that matters. What will this do? Is it worth it? What do I get? What’s the outcome? We ask those questions at work. We ask them in relationships. And, if we’re honest, we bring them with us when we turn toward God.

 That’s not a failure of faith. That’s what we learn to do when life has been uncertain, when time is limited, when trust has been stretched thin. We learn to measure. To evaluate. To protect ourselves.

And so, we come to Easter carrying those same questions. What does this do? What does resurrection change? Is it real? Is it worth believing? But Easter doesn’t answer those questions the way we expect. Because Easter is not a transaction.

 It is not: “If you believe this, then your life will work out.” Or “If you trust God, then everything will be fixed.” Instead, Easter tells a different kind of truth.

It tells us that in Jesus Christ, God does not stand at a distance managing outcomes.

God stays. Stays through betrayal. Stays through suffering. Stays all the way into death.

And then—even there—refuses to leave.

The resurrection is not a reward. It is not a return on investment. It is the quiet, stubborn declaration that: there is no place you can go where God will not remain with you. Not even death. Not even loss. Not even places where everything feels finished.

And that changes the question.

Instead of: What do I get? Easter begins to ask: What might happen if I stay?

Staying with God in prayer, even when it feels unclear. Staying with one another, even when it is inconvenient. Staying in hope, even when it feels fragile.

We practice this every time we come to the table. We do not come because we have calculated the benefit. We come because something in us is willing—just for a moment—to receive. Bread. Wine. Presence. Not controlled. Not earned. But given.

And in that receiving, something begins to take shape among us.

Not certainty. Not control. But something steadier. Something like belonging.
Something like being known. Something like home. So, if you find yourself still asking the questions—Is this worth it? What does this do? You are not outside the story.

You are exactly where many of the first witnesses were. Wondering. Unsure.

Trying to make sense of what they had seen. And the invitation is not to have it all figured out. It is simply this:

Stay. Stay long enough to notice who is still with you. Stay long enough to discover that you are not alone. Stay long enough for something new to begin.

Because resurrection is not something we manage. It is something we begin to recognize—slowly, quietly—as we remain.

And in that remaining, we may find that what we were searching for all along was not an outcome—but a presence that never left. A presence that has already always been here, in Jesus’ name.

 

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Bob

 

 

 

The Paschal Candle: Light of Christ

 

The Paschal Candle is one of the most important symbols in the Episcopal Church, representing the light of Christ risen from the dead. It is lit on Easter Day, marking the movement from darkness into light and the joy of the Resurrection. From this single flame, the light is shared throughout the congregation, symbolizing how Christ’s presence brings hope, renewal, and new life into the world. The candle remains lit throughout the Easter season and is also used at baptisms and funerals, reminding us that Christ’s light is present at both the beginning and end of the Christian journey.

 

Our Paschal Candle reflects these same truths through its design. It is a white candle, symbolizing purity and resurrection, marked with a wooden cross and the Alpha and Omega, signifying that Christ is the beginning and the end. Two red bands encircle the candle—one adorned with gold crosses and the other with fish, an early Christian symbol. Whether decorative or symbolic, these elements together point us back to Christ’s sacrifice, His followers, and the life we share in Him. Each year, the lighting of this candle reminds us that the light of Christ is not only a story from long ago, but a living presence among us today.

 

Why the Easter Bunny?

The Easter Bunny is not a religious symbol, but rather a cultural tradition with roots in pre-Christian, pagan spring festivals where rabbits were seen as signs of fertility and new life—fitting for a season centered on renewal. Over time, these symbols blended into European folklore, particularly in Germany, where a hare known as the Osterhase was said to lay eggs for children to find. This tradition was brought to America by German immigrants in the 1700s and gradually evolved into the familiar Easter Bunny we know today, delivering eggs and treats as part of the celebration… all thanks to “zee Germans,” as Lt. Aldo Raine would say.

 

Faith in Action

Help support the Clinton Christian Community Center (4C’s) and Mississippi College Student Food Bank with non-perishable food items each Sunday. Baskets are marked in the Narthex.

 

April Birthdays  April 2 Joan Blanton, 3 Mary Culipher Stephens, 7 Max Lanford, 10 Gale Nelson,

15 Kate Onyia, 25 Godwin Onyia, 28 Mary Hulsebosch & Danielle Brown, 29 Courtney Randall

 

Financial Status  February: Income/$7,484.00 – Expenses/$9,471.50

 

CREATOR’S WORKDAY SPRING CLEAN UP

Saturday, April 25th 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Sign up will be available later in the month, Lunch served

Shared service lightens the load — come lend a hand!

 

Did You Know? (April Edition)

• April’s birth flower is the daisy, symbolizing innocence and new beginnings—very on theme for spring.
• The name “April” may come from the Latin aperire, meaning “to open,” like flowers blooming.
• April is the only month that starts on the same day of the week as July every year.
• Some people once believed that washing your face in April rain would bring good luck and clear skin for the rest of the year—results scientifically unverified, but delightfully hopeful.