Easter Sunday Morning Meeting Report, Apr 8, 2007:

Easter Sunday was a special service here at the Downtown Springfield, Ohio Courtyard Marriott.  Many visitors attended. Total attendance from both services was around 80.  After the morning meeting, each family received a beautiful Easter lily – a reminder of the message of new life on Easter morning. The young ladies in attendance received a “girl’s package” – while the younger children received candy. 

Sunday’s message was taken from Mark 16:1-6 where two women arrive at the tomb of Jesus to anoint his body, only to find the “great stone” rolled away.  Clearly, this stone wasn’t rolled away for Jesus’ benefit, but for theirs.  How else would they get to Jesus?  They wouldn’t have been able to roll the stone themselves.  In fact, they inquired among themselves “how will we roll away this great stone?”  Bro Dale compared this lesson to the heavy “stones” Jesus has rolled away in our lives.  Stones of sin and a stony heart.  He gave a short testimony of how God rolled his heavy burden of sin away.  What a weight it was; he could not move it on His own, but when that burden lifted a weight was rolled off him.  Right in the midst of the lesson we broke out in song with “My Burden He Rolled Away.” 

Sad and lone I came to Jesus, Burdened down with sin,
He rolled it away, He rolled it away.
Gave me joy and gladness, blessed victory within,
My burden He rolled away. 

He lifted my load, rolled my burden away!
Oh I’ll never forget that wonderful day!
He banished my sins and their all gone to stay,
My burden He rolled away. 

Once our burden is rolled away and our stony heart replaced with a tender one, we will strive to please God.  What a blessed relief to have the burden of guilt gone.  All because of that first Easter morning!