The resurrection story teaches us that death is not the end, but rather a beginning, so it is not incidental that Easter occurs in the spring, when we shake off the bleakness and chill of winter, and embrace signs of new life. Good Shepherd Ministries has brought light and life to the dark corners of Queen St. E. for the past sixty years. We only need to read the news to know that poverty, addiction and housing insecurity cast heavy shadows. Like many good things, Good Shepherd started small, but has grown to meet the diverse needs of those we serve: with residences for frail seniors at risk of homelessness, a drug and alcohol recovery program, resettlement, aftercare and shelter diversion teams and in-house resources for veterans. Every day, for these sixty years, we have planted seeds of hope. As any good gardener knows, planting requires faith and trust, because much of what is going on is unseen, Through the skills of our co-workers, and the generosity of our donors and volunteers, we, too, have to trust that new life can break forth from deep darkness and despair. We do this by holding true to our values of hospitality, quality, respect, responsibility and spirituality in every action and encounter, regardless of how small. Just as from the tiniest of seeds, a great thing can thrive, so can a hurting human being if the conditions are right. Easter is the ultimate sign of faith as spring is to nature. Someone once wrote, “the first spring flower you see, say to yourself over and over again: hope rages, hope rages, hope rages in this world.” As we celebrate this season of new life, let’s bring this abundant, raging hope to all we do, trusting that light can always be coaxed from darkness.