Riding the Easter Wave

Easter morning always starts a little early and a little chaotic—but this year, there was something different about it.

Between services, I found myself having a series of small, almost ordinary conversations. I met a family who hadn’t been to church in years but decided to give it another try. I talked with someone who had been invited by a friend and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I saw kids running ahead of their parents with that kind of energy that only shows up on days that feel special. I watched so many of you greeting people, saving seats, making room.

None of those moments felt huge on their own. But taken together…they felt like something more. Like something was building.

And by the end of the day, it was.

We have our final numbers in. Across both campuses and online, 2,194 people gathered to celebrate Easter. That’s a big number—but what matters even more is what that number represents. Stories. Courage. Invitations. People showing up…sometimes with questions, sometimes with hope, sometimes just wondering if there could be something more.

And what I love is that it didn’t stop when the services ended.

On Easter, we invited you to be part of something bigger than ourselves—helping provide beds for kids in Clay and Platte Counties who don’t have one. Our goal was to raise $12,500 to build 50 beds in partnership with Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

You didn’t just meet the goal. You more than doubled it. Because of your generosity, $28,233 was given. That’s incredible.

It means that instead of building 50 beds, we’re now preparing to build 80 beds on our August 29 serve day. Eighty kids who will have a place to sleep. Eighty families who will experience dignity in a tangible way.

And even beyond that—because of the overflow—we’re able to take a next step. We’re setting aside seed money to launch a new ministry in partnership with A Turning Point, helping individuals who are transitioning out of unsheltered living into stable housing. It will provide basic needs, support, and—just as importantly—a sense of community. You’ll be hearing more about this in the weeks ahead.

This is what I love about Good Shepherd. We don’t just talk about hope—we live it.

And when I think about Easter, that’s really what it’s about. The resurrection isn’t just something we celebrate once a year. It’s something we participate in. It’s what happens when small moments begin to add up…when what feels stuck starts moving again…when what feels impossible starts to open up in ways we didn’t expect.

That’s what I saw on Easter morning—in conversations that felt small but were part of something incredible. And it’s what I’m still seeing now.

So here’s what I’d love for you to do: Stay connected. Keep showing up. Invite someone to join you in worship in the coming weeks. This Sunday we are continuing our series Restored by talking about reconciliation—because if resurrection means anything, it means that what feels broken doesn’t have to stay that way.

Because what we celebrated on Easter isn’t over. Hope is still breaking through!

Peace,
Matt