THE EMPTY TOMB
(Editorial)
   They made an appointment to meet at dawn. The sun had just risen and it was cold. But their heart were even colder. They never thought it would have gone along and finished as it did. Nevertheless the Master had told them that he would be killed. But they had not desired to believe it.
   Now, however, all was finished. The Master had been crucified and they had seen Him die on that horrible cross. Nothing else was left to do but to go to anoint His body for the final burial. They bought the spices, the best, for their friend. This is what Jesus called His disciples. You remember it, Mary? And you, Salome, remember when Jesus reprimanded you because you wanted your sons to sit on His right and left sides in His kingdom? How everything, now, seemed so long ago and useless because the Master was dead. And on the way Maria Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome rethought about all the extraordinary events which had happened during those three marvelous years. The men were sleeping when they left the house at dawn. On the way, while they were making their way to the tomb, a thought assailed them: "Which of them would roll away the stone at the opening of the tomb?" But this did not stop them, they continued to walk, and arriving in the area of the tomb, they suddenly lifted up their eyes and saw that "the stone had been rolled away". An angel was waiting for them to tell them the great news. The Good News: "He is risen; He is not here!" (Mark 16:1-8).
   Christ did not let the grass grow on His tomb. He defeated death, keeping His promises. All of Christianity hangs on those two affirmations: "He is risen; He is not here!" Paul affirms, "and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith is vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14).
In this month of April, during which the world remembers Easter while we Christians remember the death and resurrection of the Lord through the symbols of the bread and wine every Sunday, there is an additional opportunity to underscore that our faith is founded on the resurrected Christ. We believe that the tomb was empty and we believe that Jesus arose and defeated death for us. We believe, because He said so, that His followers must be united, and united they must work for the evangelization of the world. However, seeing the atmosphere which one can breath in some congregations, the faces of certain brethren, the tone of certain sermons, the sectarian and Pharisaic spirit that resides in the hearts of some, we need to ask ourselves if the faith that drives these brethren is based on the resurrected Christ and on His word or on something else?
   Nietzsche affirms, thinking of certain Christians, "It would have been necessary for them to sing some better song because then I could have believed their Savior. It would have been necessary for His disciples to have had a bearing more like those who are saved." What "song" are we letting the world hear? A song of joy, of peace, of victory o perhaps just the opposite. Closed between four walls, many Christians, who feel like they have the depositories of truth, continue to talk about the same usual things, splitting hairs in four parts and concentrating their attention more on the few things that divide rather than on the many things that unite. The world wants and must hear "some better song". Better than that which, at times, we disciples of Jesus have known how to offer. The women, going towards the tomb notwithstanding their sadness of heart, did not stop because they thought they could not remove the stone. They went and lifted up their eyes and recognized that the stone had already been rolled away.
   What are the "stones" of today that hamper our walk of faith? How much do we worry about the "stones" which we do not know how to roll away? Let's lift up our eyes, like the women did, and let's continue to put our trust in that God that knows how to keep His promises and rolled away for us already the greatest of stones, that of death. Our faith is not in a man dead on the cross, but in a resurrected God, who left empty His tomb. To us is the job of announcing this to the world.
(Vittorio Vitalone)

PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

From the first issue of "IL SEME DEL REGNO" (The Seed of the Kingdom) of 1954
To the readers,
"The seed of the kingdom" does not propose polemical purposes, nor to combat some religious congregation, to whatever denomination it belongs.
"The seed of the kingdom", in the sincere conviction that the only source of Christianity is Christ, intends to bring: light where there is still darkness, love where hate dominates, comfort and hope where there is pain, and faith in Christ where there are idolatry and superstition.
"The seed of the kingdom", into the actual general bewilderment, intends only to disperse the word of love preached by Christ so that unbelievers can believe in Him and Christians can check themselves to see if their faith does or does not conform to Christ's teachings.
"The seed of the kingdom" does not have opinions to uphold, but proposes only to repeat the Good News of Jesus so that each person can know the truth and freely choose between the divine word and that of men. We are sure that we will be doing a good work that will be enjoyed by the public because we have no other interest except that of being "Christians", assuring ourselves of this reality only through the tranquil study of the Holy Scriptures and through the continued examination of our conscience and of our behavior.
The Editor

FOR HE WHO READS CIRCUMSPECTLY
- There are some who go around saying they have God on their side.
We prefer to be on God's side!
- There are some who believe they are the guardians of truth.
We desire only to walk faithfully in truth!
- There are some who go around the congregations asking who are "faithful Christians."
We examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith.
It is written: "Who are you to judge the servant of another? Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (Romans 14:4 and 1 Corinthians 10:12).

OFFICINA DI RESTAURAZIONE (Workshop of Restoration - a newsletter edited by Pino Neglia) is holding a lectureship on the Restoration Movement entitled:
"Who Are We and We Are We Going?"

BIBBIA E DOSSIER (magazine edited by Arrigo Corazza and Valerio Marchi) will cease being published.

DIRECTORY OF THE EUROPEAN CHURCHES OF CHRIST
   We have received from Bro. Joe Gibbs the "DIRECTORY OF KNOWN CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN EUROPE AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES".
   Realistically it is a reference book with the addresses of the European Churches of Christ. From it are excluded all the so called "anti" and "instrumentalist" congregations. Whoever would like more information may write or call the following:
EASTERN EUROPEAN MISSION - P.O. Box 90755 - Houston, Texas 77290 - U.S.A.
or:
EASTERN EUROPEAN MISSION - P.O. Box 56 - A - 1239 Vienna, Austria, Telephone: (431) 616.67.10.

   Please allow us to state a brief consideration. We think that having an address book of the European churches of Christ is useful, above all for those who travel. We regret, however, to observe (at least for the information given in the Italian listing) that there are many errors, inaccuracies, and news which was not truthful. It would have been much better if the person who made this listing would have contacted the various congregations to gather information that was truly up to date. But, unfortunately, the book does not provide the name of the person that decided which churches and what information to include or to exclude.
(Paolo Mirabelli)

LOOKING FOR
We are looking for the three volume commentary series, COMMENTARIO BIBLICO, by D. Gutherie and J. A. Motyer, edited by "Voce della Bibbia". If you know of this set, please contact Luigi Oliviero - Via Romana, 99 - 00048 Nettuno (Roma).

NEWS OF THE CONGREGATIONS

PADUA
- Saturday, May 30 at 5:00 p.m., the congregation in Padua will hold at its building a study for the public with Bro. Mario Piccoli on the topic: "Jubilee: Holy Year or Sabbatical Year?"
   We ask all the brethren to attend and to pray for good results from this meeting, which can be an opportunity of us to witness about the truth of the Gospel to guests who will be present.
- Bro. JEFFERY TAYLOR since February '98 has been living in Padua to help us with the work of evangelization. Thanks to God, this has been made possible by the financial contributions of several American and Italian congregations. His address is:
Jeffery Taylor - Via Valmarana, 9 - 35133 PADOVA - tel. 049-609.432.
- The congregation in Padua desires to inform all brothers and sisters that it has its own page on the Internet at the following address:
http://space.tin.it/lettura/fmalfita
(Franco Malfitano)

BONDENO
   The Church of Christ in Bondeno has organized a public study in the large room of a picture gallery at Bondeno with Bro. Mario Piccoli entitled:   "Preparing for the Jubilee".
   In the discussion that will follow, it will be possible to share questions and observations. May God bless this endeavor!
(Mauro Cervellati)

FLORENCE
   It hurts for us to have to communicate that there are two empty places in our congregation.
   Our dear sister, MARISA ROGGI, had a heart attack Saturday, March 14 and went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, March 17. We will miss her joyfulness and vivacious love of life. But we are sure that she is enjoying even more being with the Lord.
   On Saturday, March 28, Bro. BARBARO CORALLO died at Varese, struck down by a lung disease. He was a very sincere brother. Death meant victory in Christ for him. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!" (Revelation 14:13).
Pray for our congregation so that the Lord will fill the emptiness which the deaths of Marisa and Barbaro have produced.
(Jay Walls)

PRAYER REQUESTS

- For Bro. CHARLES MOORE (U.S.A.) for his health conditions.

- For Bro. MARCELLO DOLFI and Sis. NUNZIA of the church in Prato for their health conditions.

- For all the activities which we have reported in this issue of CHIESEinFORMA.

- For the spiritual health of all the Italian churches of Christ.

L'ANNO SANTO O GIUBILEO NELLA STORIA E NELLA BIBBIA (THE HOLY YEAR OR JUBILEE IN HISTORY AND IN THE BIBLE) by Bro. ITALO MINESTRONI - Edited by Lanterna 1975.
   This is an interesting small booklet of 65 pages in which Bro. Italo examines, from historical and biblical perspectives, the institution of the Jubilee and the Holy Year in the Roman Catholic Church.

   Finally the syllabus on "REVELATION" by Bro. ITALO MINESTRONI is ready. Also in preparation, by Bro. Italo, is a syllabus on "THE GOSPELS". We will give you more information about this work in CHIESEinFORMA. For information or requests, write or call Bro. GIANNI FARINA - Chiesa di Cristo (Church of Christ) - Via S. Rocca, 7 d/e - 40122 Bologna or tel. 051-524.592.

LECTURESHIPS

a) KOINONIA 1998
1-2-3 May '98
HOTEL DEL LAGO-SILA
Theme: Ethics
Cost: Lire 110.000 per person.
For information and reservations, call Paolo Mirabelli - 06-871.936.97

b) S.SEVERA 1998
15-16-17 May '98
S.SEVERA (Roma)
Theme: Jesus
Cost: L.85.000 per person.
For reservations, call Giancarlo Balboni - 06-880.39.00

LITERATURE OF CHRISTIAN AUTHORS
   Still available, in syllabus form or on disk, is the book of Bro. Monroe E. Hawley "RISCAVANDO VECCHI POZZI" - Un Ritorno al Cristianesimo delle Origini (Redigging the Ancient Wells - A Return to Original Christianity).
   The book narrates the history of the Restoration Movement which at the beginning of the 19th century wanted to rediscover and to restore the original Christianity. As the author himself says in the Introduction: "The purpose of this book is to establish the principle of non denominational Christianity and to examine difference between theory and practice in those who seek to be just Christians."

BOOK REVIEWS

David A. Seamands, GUARIGIONE DELLE EMOZIONI FERITE (THE HEALING OF WOUNDED EMOTIONS), edited by EUN, pp. 127, L. 17.000 ($10).
   From a specialist is this area comes a very effective tool for curing depression and other psychic disturbances. A practical method is provided the sufferer which indicates a way to transform one from being depressed to being an agent of healing to others.