Last Sunday we welcomed Chris into the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church through the act of baptism. In baptism we are buried with Christ in his death, and reborn by the Holy Spirit.

Join us on 5/10 for our annual family celebration where we will look back on all that God has done in us and look forward to anticipate more that God will do! #beknowgrowgo #worship #anglican #goodsamaritan

The lily, specifically the white **Easter Lily**, is the preeminent symbol of the Resurrection because it serves as a "living parable" of the life of Christ. Its journey from a plain, buried bulb to a majestic, white-robed flower mirrors the transition from the tomb to the Resurrection. The biological life cycle of the lily is a natural metaphor for the death and rising of Jesus. The lily bulb is unsightly and must be buried in the cold, dark earth, appearing "lifeless." This represents the tomb of Christ. From that darkness, a green shoot breaks through the soil, eventually blooming into a creature of light. This recalls the victory over death and the emergence of new life. Matthew 6:28–29: "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Pious tradition further links the flower to the specific moments of Christ’s Passion. The Sweat of Gethsemane: One ancient legend says that white lilies sprang up in the Garden of Gethsemane where drops of Jesus' sweat fell to the ground during his agony (Luke 22:44). The Tears of Eve: Another tradition suggests that lilies first grew from the repentant tears of Eve as she left Eden, but they remained "fallen" until the Resurrection of Christ restored their purity.

The practice of effusion (pouring water over the head) as a mode of baptism has deep roots in both Scripture and the earliest traditions of the Church. The Bible often uses the language of "pouring" to describe the inward reality that baptism signifies. Baptism is the outward sign of the inward gift of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the New Testament, the Spirit is described as being "poured out" upon believers. Acts 2:33: "Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God... he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing." (Cf. Titus 3:5–6) The Old Testament prophets foreshadowed a time when God would cleanse His people not necessarily by dipping them, but by applying water to them. Ezekiel 36:25: "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses." Many scholars point to the "mass baptisms" in the Book of Acts as instances where effusion was likely used. For example, when 3,000 were baptized in Jerusalem (Acts 2) or when the Philippian Jailer and his family were baptized inside a prison at midnight (Acts 16:33), the lack of large bodies of water suggests pouring was the most logical method. The Didache, one of the oldest Christian documents outside the New Testament (c. 70–120 AD), explicitly allows for effusion if "running water or a pool is unavailable. "But if you have no living water, baptize into other water; and if you cannot do so in cold water, do so in warm. But if you have neither, pour out water three times upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit." (Didache 7:1-3) Cyprian (c. 210–258 AD) addressed whether those baptized by pouring on a sickbed were truly Christians. "In the sacraments of salvation, when necessity compels and God grants his indulgence, divine rituals confer the whole benefit on believers; nor ought anyone to be moved by the fact that the sick are sprinkled or affused when they get the Lord’s grace." (Letter 69 to Magnus)

Beginning this Sunday we will hold our semi annual Good SAM 101. In this class we will cover: 1. What is Christianity? 2. What is Anglicanism? 3. What makes Good Samaritan special? and 4. How do I grow in my spiritual life? If you have other questions or topics you would like to tackle, please reach out! #beknowgrowgo #worship #jesuschrist #trustgod #goodsamaritan #anglican

The Kingdom Belongs to Children Jesus welcoming children is central to the New Testament, illustrating a radical reversal of social values. In the ancient world, children held little social status, yet Jesus held them up as the primary models for entering the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 19:14: "But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.'" Mark 10:14–16: "He was indignant and said to them... 'Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.' And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them." Matthew 18:2–4: "And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, 'Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" Mark 9:36–37: "And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 'Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.'" Luke 9:48: "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me... For he who is least among you all is the one who is great."

"And unto Adam He said…. cursed is the ground for thy sake. Thorns…. shall bring it forth." "And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head." In bitterest sorrow did the ground bring forth Its fatal seed. Thine eye beheld the birth— Beheld the travail of accursèd earth; E'en then, O Lord! in greater love than wrath! The Crown Of Thorns - Ada Cambridge https://allpoetry.com/The-Crown-Of-Thorns

The ritual of foot washing on Maundy Thursday (from the Latin mandatum, meaning "commandment") is a direct response to the actions and instructions of Jesus during the Last Supper. It serves as a powerful symbol of "servant leadership" and the radical humility required of his followers. 1. The Example of Christ In the ancient Near East, washing feet was the task of the lowest-ranking servant. By performing this act, Jesus inverted the social hierarchy, showing that no task is too lowly for those who lead. John 13:4–5: "[Jesus] rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him." 2. A Symbol of Spiritual Cleansing The act also carries a deeper theological meaning regarding the ongoing need for spiritual renewal. While the disciples were already "clean" through their faith, the foot washing represented the daily need to wash away the "dust" of the world (sin). John 13:10: "Jesus said to him, 'The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean.'" 3. The New Mandate (The Commandment) The primary reason for the practice is that Jesus explicitly commanded it. He framed it as a "pattern" for how believers should treat one another—prioritizing the needs of others above their own status. John 13:14–15: "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you." John 13:34: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another."