By Karen Vance

Mike Whittymore might be writing his first sermon for Easter Sunday, but the 21-year-old Cincinnati Bible College seminary student has a clear picture of the importance of the Easter message this year.

"No matter how much we become immersed in the war, and no matter how much we become immersed in our own wants and desires, we can always turn to God, and he can fulfill us," Whittymore said. "The power of the Resurrection is new 2,000 years later. It's new every year."

Although only a third-year student at CBC, Whittymore, who grew up in Westwood and Harrison, is the recently elected senior minister of Medway Christian Church in New Carlisle, north of Dayton. This Sunday, he'll preach about the most important Christian holiday.

"It really is more challenging because it's an important day," he said. "You want to make (the sermon) as impactful and convincing as possible. There's a lot of pressure. You really want it to be more powerful."

But finding that power in the Scripture and the story is easy.

Ann Marie Winters of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Franklin will write her second Easter sermon this year. She finds in the story a personal message about how people respond to God.

"Resurrection is real. It happens to us. It's not just about Jesus," she said. "It's about our life and death, too."

Within her sermon, Winters plans to tell her congregation the story of a Vietnam War soldier who found a young girl in the rubble of a village and took her to an orphanage. The soldier kept in contact with the child, like the relationship God maintains with his people, she said.

"God scoops us up out of the death and ashes of life and gives us new life. Both in the horror of war and in regular life," she said. "God doesn't leave us there looking for answers."

For Dave Young, the story has new meaning after the birth of his son, Noah, last Sunday.

"The idea of new life is readily in my mind," said Young, pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 5841 Werk Road, Bridgetown. "As I think of Easter and I think of how God gave his son for us, I'm in awe. I look at my son and realize I would do anything for him. ... To think of what God did reminds me of how much God loves us."

The 32-year-old is writing his sixth sermon and knows that he'll have many Easter sermons ahead of him, but in this year he knows the story of Resurrection is one many need to hear.

"In times like this we need to hear that out of death comes new life. We always need to hear that, but especially in a time of war," he said. "We hear that brokenness is not the last word."

Quakers meeting

On Wednesday, the Cincinnati Friends Meeting, 8075 Keller Road, will host an evening of forgiveness at 6:30 p.m. with worship in the Quaker tradition from 7 to 8:15 p.m.

The meeting room will be open for reflective worship, prayer and meditation to foster peace within relationships, in communities and in the world. The event is free and open to the public.

Free Easter dinner

A free Easter Day dinner, sponsored by Feast of Love, will be held at College Hill Presbyterian Church, 5742 Hamilton Ave., from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The dinner is open to everyone, and there will be activities for children.

To submit religion news, send e-mail to kvance@fuse.net or fax to 755-4150.