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Rev. Daryl Ward, pastor at Omega Baptist Church in Dayton, is preaching about second chances, and our need to believe that we have a second chance.
“In (the Gospel of) John, it says that Peter and John raced to Jesus’ tomb, and John ran faster than Peter, but when John got to the tomb, he didn’t go in,” Ward said. “One problem with our idea about second chances, is that we don’t follow through. It’s not always how fast you can run there, or how fast you can come up with an idea, it’s about following all the way through.”
Ward added, “The wonderful thing is, when Peter went in, John went in too. … That’s what all of us should be doing — bringing someone along with us. You never know who’s looking at you, but all of us are leaders.”
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Rev. Sherry Gale, pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Dayton, will continue the "beloved" theme her church has focused on through Lent. She called the Bible a story of "God's steadfast, undying love."'
“No one has done anything any worse than crucifying God’s loved son,” Gale said. “And even though we did that, God raises him again and says I still love you. It doesn’t matter what you do, I still love you.”
Gale said that message is meaningful in her church’s neighborhood, which has suffered economic blows, including the pending closure of Good Samaritan Hospital.
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“No matter what things might look like at one point along the way, God loves us and will bring the good, will bring new life,” she said. “Resurrection is possible.”
Rev. Jim Manning, pastor of St. Mary Catholic Church in Springboro, focused on the traditional theme of rebirth. St. Mary is baptizing new adult members of the church Saturday night at their Easter Vigil service.
“The theme is all about new life — being reborn, the springtime of life, getting rid of darkness, letting more light into our lives — and I think we can all relate to that no matter what faith tradition,” Manning said. “There’s too much darkness, depression, despair in our lives and in our world, and I think our faith in the Christian tradition, the risen Lord Jesus Christ, brings more light, more hope. And we all need that.”
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Deacon Steve Bermick of St. Mary’s said the “catechumens” who are being baptized can be a great model to longtime members of the church and bring new life to the congregation. Manning agreed.
“We’ve all made bad choices, we’ve all committed sins,” Manning said. “Easter says, hey, this is new life, park your things in the past and move forward more freely in the future. I can’t change my past, all I can do is learn from it for the future.”
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