Welcome

Prairie Bluffs Mission Center

Prairie Bluffs Mission Center is a fellowship of 21 Community of Christ congregations serving Western Iowa and Eastern Nebraska. Community of Christ is an international community of faith where all are welcome. We proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace.

*******************************************************************************************************

A Note from Noel

“I Love a Parade!”

There’s an old song from 1932 called “I Love a Parade.” And honestly… I do. Maybe that’s because I grew up loving the 4th of July parade in Logan. It was a family tradition to attend. My dad especially loved parades — maybe a little too much. We still have his old home videos, and I’m not kidding, there is a lot of parade footage on those reels. So, I suppose I come by it honestly.

I’ve always loved the music and energy of a parade. Broadway has given us a few great songs about parades — “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from Funny Girl and “Before the Parade Passes By” from Hello, Dolly! But my personal favorite is “Seventy-Six Trombones” from The Music Man — set in River City, Iowa. Now that’s a parade: trombones, cornets, drums, and enough sound to shake the street.

Alison’s dad loved parades too, but in a different way. He played the horn in a Kilty band — yes, in a Scottish kilt — with bagpipes and all. He didn’t always love to travel and sometimes had to be persuaded to go, but once he got there, he almost always had a great time.

And honestly, that reminds me of life. A lot of us are like that. We hesitate. We hold back. We stay on the sidelines longer than we should. We aren’t always sure we want to fully enter whatever is in front of us — a new challenge, a hard conversation, a season of change, a step of faith. But then something shifts when we finally do.

That’s probably why Palm Sunday has always felt a little like a parade to me. There’s movement, celebration, noise, joy, expectation. Jesus enters Jerusalem and the people wave branches and shout “Hosanna!”

This week, one line kept coming to mind from John Fogerty’s song “Centerfield”: “Put me in coach, I’m ready to play… today.” That’s what Palm Sunday feels like. Not just watching Jesus pass by, but being willing to enter in.

I was also thinking about the Iowa vs. Nebraska basketball game the other night. Nebraska was still in it late, but for a few important seconds they only had four players on the court because someone didn’t get in the game. And in a close one, that mattered.

Sometimes, entering matters more than we realize. Showing up matters. Stepping in matters. Faithfulness matters.

Then this week, I found a fortune cookie slip while cleaning my car. It said: “Good news is on the way.” Naturally, my first thought was: Well, I hope this means I’m winning the lottery soon… or that Iowa State is going to win the national championship in basketball. But as I went to throw the slip away, I noticed my tiny little rubber Jesus sitting on our shoe shelf. I leaned that fortune up against the small statue of Jesus and thought: Oh. It’s about Jesus.

And that’s what Palm Sunday is about. Good news is on the way. Jesus — entering the city, entering the story, entering our lives once again with hope, mercy, and peace.

So maybe that’s the invitation for us this week: Don’t just watch from the curb. Don’t stay on the sidelines. Put me in, Coach. I’m ready to play… today.

Blessings,

Noel

Noel Sherer, President
Prairie Bluffs Mission Center
Community of Christ

 

Worship with Us

We invite you to find a home with us in Community of Christ. Why not start by worshiping with us this Sunday at a congregation near you?

Newsletter sign up

If you would like to sign-up for our email newsletter Select Here

Mission Center Links

 

Other useful links