Dear Friend,

On March 27, 2005, millions of professing Christians will celebrate Easter. Sunrise services, colored eggs and chocolate bunnies will likely be included in the festivities. But have you ever wondered what these customs have to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Many people assume these age-old traditions are Christian and date back to the original first-century Church. Many also take for granted that other observances that lead up to Easter Sunday, including Lent, Holy Week and Good Friday, are also biblically based. But did you know that none of this is taught or even mentioned in the Bible?

As a matter of fact, Jesus Christ never commanded His Church to commemorate His resurrection. Jesus truly is alive today, but the Bible shows that He was not resurrected on Easter morning or any other Sunday morning. Isn't it time you understood the real truth about the traditions and customs of this season and what the Bible actually says on this key subject? To help you learn more, we welcome you to request our free booklets: Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep?, God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind and Jesus Christ: The Real Story. Simply click www.gnmagazine.org/booklets to request your own copies. We believe you will not only be surprised by what you learn, but shocked as to how the truth became corrupted, distorted and misrepresented.

Also, if you would like to hear a valuable discussion of this topic from the Good News radio program, please click www.gnmagazine.org/radio/. Here you can listen to or download many programs, including "Origins of Easter" and "Bunnies, Easter and Christ." I believe some fascinating information awaits you!

Finally, you may be interested in knowing that 750,000 Good News advertising brochures will be inserted in "Smart Source" coupon supplements in various newspapers throughout the United States on Sunday, March 20, 2005. Smart Source is the most widely distributed part of the Sunday newspaper, with a weekly circulation of over 68 million. To capitalize on interest in the death and resurrection of Christ during this season, 500,000 newspapers will receive our newly designed Jesus Christ: The Real Story bifold subscription brochures. An additional 250,000 newspapers will receive our Why Does God Allow Suffering? bifold brochures. These colorful advertisements offer potential readers edifying booklets by the same titles and a subscription to The Good News.

We greatly appreciate your ongoing interest in The Good News magazine and the work of the United Church of God, an International Association. Please don't hesitate to let us know if we can be of help to you in any way.

Sincerely,

Roy Holladay
President
United Church of God, an International Association