Stories of God’s work through Holy Week
Invitation
Thousands of Holy Week invitations were mailed to neighbors, emailed, handed out at the train station and the Wheaton Park District Fun Run, and shared on social media and through our website. Each attendence number for our services represents a person loved by God.
This year more than ever, people came from an unchurched background or from time spent away from the church. At the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday services, we saw between 20-30 people renew their commitment to Jesus and 10-15 people make a first-time commitment to follow Jesus.
Conversion
Danya grew up in a Christian home but rejected God and chose to live rebelliously throughout high school and part of college. Then in January, Danya got connected with a new church our diocese is planting at University of Chicago. The church’s co-planter, Sarah Beasley, began meeting with her and on Easter weekend, she came with her to the Easter Vigil service at Resurrection.
Afterward, Danya said, “When the pastor said to raise your hand if you’ve been wandering and far away, I didn’t feel like I should raise my hand because I don’t know if I was ever there to begin with. But when he said to raise your hand if you have recently come to accept Jesus, I did because I thought that was true.”
Sarah writes, “God used Bishop Stewart’s call and challenge at the Easter Vigil to clarify for Danya what He has done in her life. As I affirmed her understanding and experience at Easter Vigil, the Gospel became so real to her. God had changed her life and drawn her from darkness to light and now her status before him was secure because of Christ!”
Healing
At RezFast, Father Stewart asked us to pray for healing. Resurrection member Ashley Davilla remembers, “I had a hard time praying for physical healing because I didn’t know if I believed God would actually do that. So I prayed that God would increase our faith for physical healing.” In Holy Week, to Ashley’s surprise, she felt God inviting her to ask for the healing of her food allergies, which had been a challenge for her. “I felt a freedom from God to ask for healing, but I was so bewildered that I continued to pray throughout the week, and finally on Holy Saturday asked God how I would know.” She felt God telling her to eat and see. So on Easter Sunday, she decided to eat a dinner roll, which would have normally left her sick…but it didn’t. “Now I have a new opportunity to grow in physical health and to experience God’s presence and pleasure in everyday things like french bread and yogurt.
As you continue to give generously and pray faithfully, you help build a Sanctuary of Transformation for the Lord, the Lost, and the Least.
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