Easter is all about new. This holy day commemorates the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. That event—when Jesus of Nazareth came back to life from death and bodily walked out of the cave in which He had been interred—is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. If Jesus had not been raised from the dead our faith, the Christian faith, would be null and void. Empty.
God not only worked powerfully on Sunday, April 5, AD 33 when He raised Jesus from the dead, He also works powerfully today through Jesus’s resurrection in the lives of all who believe. Consider these words from the Apostle Peter: “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” (1 Peter 1:3). New birth through the Resurrection.
Any person who trusts in Jesus for salvation is made new spiritually through Christ’s resurrection. This is a brand new start as real as and even more mysterious than physical birth. The old has gone, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). New never was so good!!
This month also presents the opportunity for something new for our Central District. The annual Central District conference will be held March 4-5 at Valley Church in West Des Moines. Besides great plenary sessions, rich worship times, helpful workshops, and encouraging fellowship, there is also the annual business meeting. There delegates make decisions on such things as appointing officers and affirming new member churches.
This year delegates will vote on a wonderful opportunity God has placed before us—for the Central District to become the successor organization for the Rock River Retreat. This 100-acre property near Webster City, IA, has been developed as place for spiritual renewal and refreshment, a quiet place to get away with the Lord. The board of RR has asked the Central District to consider taking ownership of the retreat to continue its mission. I have personally benefited from the ministry of this retreat center many times and I am excited about this opportunity.
To learn more about RR visit its current website at www.rockriverretreat.org and to read answers to some frequently asked questions about the decision before the district click this link. Please pray for God’s blessing on the conference as a whole and for His guidance in this decision.