Church News – March 2024
THOUGHTS FROM SR PATSY
I am excited to spend my first Easter with you as your minister, thanks again for all your support through a difficult time as I remembered Paul at the anniversary of his death. As we enter into March we continue through Lent a time of self sacrifice, a time to reflect as we move towards Easter. In the Christian Church, Lent refers to the period of abstinence preparatory to the Feast of Easter. As this fast falls in the early part of the year, it became confused with the season, and gradually the word Lent, which originally meant spring, was confined to this liturgical use. The Latin name for the fast is Quadragesima derived from the Sunday which was the fortieth day before Easter.
Easter is a difficult time in the Christian calendar we only just seem to have celebrated the birth of Christ at Christmas and we move on to prepare ourselves for His journey to the Cross, we celebrate the crowds welcome on Palm Sunday as Jesus enters Jerusalem on the donkey. Unfortunately our celebrations are always tainted as we know to come is the last supper, His betrayal by Judas in the garden of Gethsemane, being denied by Peter, his trial and sentence, having to carry his own cross then finally His crucifixion. We know as Christians this is not the end of the roller coaster journey of Christ that the cross is not the end. We are delighted to say together on Easter Sunday He is risen, that Christ tomb could not hold Him, that he revealed himself first to the women, then Mary his mother, then to the disciples and finally to Thomas.
We know that Christ made the most ultimate of sacrifices to die on the cross for us the most perfect human being gave up His life to take away our sins. That vast and powerful love so rich and deep that even death cannot defeat it perhaps the emphasis should be less on the physical suffering of Christ upon the cross and more upon his sacrifice, His willingness to give everything he had, including His life, for those whom he loved. Our living out of our faith must be like that as well- no half measures, time and again Jesus asks for all of us, not just the part that we are happy giving. Such a great love as Christ showed to each and every one of us demands in return a willingness to respond with wholeheartedness that knows no limits, Happy Easter.
God bless Patsy
NEWS
We hope you will take part in the Passion Week readings which will be given out soon. We always welcome new readers. And don’t forget the services during Good Friday and Easter Sunday, not forgetting to put your name down for the Easter Breakfast.
Anita is selling tickets for the Thursday Group Chicken Drive at 7.30 p.m. on 21st April. Adults are charged at £5 and children under 12 £3. All proceeds will go to the church.
A QUIZ FOR EASTER This is based on Matthew 27.
1. Who planned to have Jesus executed?
2. To whom did they go for help to ‘catch’ Him?
3. What did they give in return for Jesus?
4. What did they do with Jesus?
5. What did Judas do then?
6. What did the governor ask Jesus?
7. What was the name of the other prisoner?
8. Why did Pilate wash his hands?
9. Who helped Jesus carry His cross?
10. What was the written charge?
11. When did darkness come over the land?
12. What did Jesus cry to God?
(Answers in April’s Newsletter)
Easter Prayer 2024
Almighty, God, You hold all things in Your hands. You make sense of everything!
So often we only see where we are now, what we feel now, in this moment – but You know the end from the beginning.
In all our troubles, our assurance is in Your sovereignty, in Your mighty act of salvation.
Thank you that, just as after winter comes spring and after night comes morning, so, most gloriously, after death on Good Friday, comes resurrection on Easter Day!
Christ is Risen – and we can know, by the indwelling of his Holy Spirit, that He is risen indeed!
We can know, in our real and every-day lives, where our help comes from.
Hallelujah! Thank you, living Lord, In Jesus name. Amen. By Daphne Kitching
