A few weeks ago, I had the honor of teaching our preschool Godly Play Sunday School class. It was the Sunday before Lent and so I told the story “The Mystery of Easter.” The story is composed of six purple “puzzle” pieces representing the six weeks of Lent. As the pieces come together, they form a purple cross. The purple cross is a sad cross that reminds us of the death of Jesus. But the story does not finish there. The pieces are reversed and the cross becomes white, the color of pure celebration and joy—the color of resurrection. The cross is sad, but it also wonderful because Jesus is alive again!

A little over a week after telling the story, I had the privilege of holding Addison in my arms on the UBC spring trip as the Sun rose, its light shining through the branches of a pecan orchard on Koinonia Farm. Addison loved watching the sunrise. That afternoon, Kat woke her up from a nap and Addison began telling her about her favorite part of the day, watching the sunrise. Without any prompting, Addison began to explain that the sunrise was like the cross. The sunrise, in Addison’s telling, was like the cross that turned from sad to happy. This was a discovery Addison made through her own wondering.

I am thankful for UBC! As a father, I cannot express how overjoyed I am that my child is receiving the sort of early faith formation that allows her to make connections between the central story of our salvation and the beautiful work of God in the rising of the Sun. As a father, I am also learning to slow down and listen to my preschooler—I’m learning that she has much to teach me.

As we approach Holy Week and Easter, I invite you to slow down and open your minds to discover anew the story of God’s love for us in the death and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Join us for worship throughout Holy Week. Take time to prayerfully walk the Stations of the Cross. Open yourself to the Holy Spirit so that, like our children in Godly Play, you might find yourself wondering in new ways as you ponder the story of our salvation.

Journeying Together,

Rusty