Our post-Easter theme is all about the Christian tradition of partying. You know that tradition, right? It's the opposite of fasting! It's the tradition that said, "God prepares a feast for all people!" (Isaiah 25:6 - 10). The tradition that tells stories about Jesus feeding people not just enoughbut sending them home with leftovers (Matthew 14 and, like, all over). And one of the big criticisms that Jesus got was that he partied too hard, too often, eating and drinking too much with all the wrong people. Count us in,please.
Our friend Katie Hays at beautiful Galileo Church in Texas does a bang-up job of explaining the theology of parties over here, if you even need further justification to party.
Here's YOUR invitation to party, from this week's newsletter (and poet Jack Gilbert):
We must risk delight. We can do without pleasure,
but not delight. Not enjoyment. We must have
the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless
furnace of this world. To make injustice the only
measure of our attention is to praise the Devil.
from A Brief for the Defense
Dance Dance Party Party
When we got together to talk about this new Easter season theme, Gilead-ites told stories about theme parties and costume parties, parties where they got to fulfill a dream of being elected prom queen, parties with neighbors and strangers, accordions and cotton candy machines. Many people there also shared that they "actually hate parties."
Well...maybe you've been going to the wrong kind of party?
Read the rest of the newsletter here.