Easter Messages

ELCIC National Bishop Larry Kochendorfer has shared an Easter message with the church ahead of Easter Sunday, offering a reflection rooted in hope, grief and the promise of new life.

Kochendorfer acknowledged the weight many are carrying, inviting the church into a more reflective understanding of the resurrection. “Maybe this year we are being invited into a quieter kind of rising - a slower hope,” he said.

Reflecting on a hurting world, he spoke on the ongoing challenges overseas, while pointing toward a faithful response in difficult times. “Grief is not weakness. Grief is what love feels like when life is threatened…So this Easter, I’m not reaching for certainty. I’m reaching for courage.”

Congregations and individuals are invited to watch, share and download the 2026 Easter Message below:

More Messages:

Jerusalem Patriarchs and Heads of Churches Easter Message 2026

The 2026 Easter Message from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem is now available. Please view the message when you click here. As we gather for worship during holy week and Easter, our prayers for peace in the Middle East continue.

WCC Easter Message 2026: “One Big Source of Hope in These Troubled Times”  

The World Council of Churches’ Easter message reflects on how we can celebrate Easter in a time in which shouts of joy are so often drowned out by cries of despair. “So many victims of war, economic injustice, sexual violence, political oppression, climate disasters and religious persecution are to be mourned,” the message notes. “Can we authentically celebrate Easter without addressing these sufferings?” To read the full message, please click here.

LWF Messages for Good Friday and Easter Sunday

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) had published messages for Good Friday and Easter Sunday in 2026. The Good Friday message “God is on our side” and the Easter message “Leaving behind our old self” are reflections by LWF Council members