This edition of St Mary’s News starts with Heather’s “He is not here” message and then continues with:
- Holy week services
- Prayer spaces,
- FISH Club, and
- the usual listings of services and contacts.
He is not here, he has risen – Rev. Heather’s Easter Message
April begins in a rather playful mood, with April Fools day. Be it on TV, radio or in the papers, over the year, there have been some rather clever April fools jokes played on us, the unsuspecting public.
April Fools Pranks
Who can forget, Richard Dimbleby’s report in 1957 on a particularly bountiful crop of spaghetti in Switzerland, due in part to the disappearance of the pesky spaghetti weevil.
In 1977 the Guardian, had a play on typefaces, as it published a travel guide to the mysterious island grouping of San Serrife. The two islands, Upper Caisse and Lower Caisse, forming the shape of a semi-colon.
And in 1976, Patrick Moore announced on Radio 2 that at 9.47am we would feel what he called the ‘Jovian-Plutonian gravitational effect.’ At that exact moment, the planets would align and gravity on earth would get a tiny bit weaker, so if you jumped in the air at exactly the right moment, you would almost float.
The first Easter morning
Just over a week after we enjoy the fooling around of April fools day, we will this year celebrate Easter Day. For the disciples on that first Easter morning, it must have felt like the women were trying to pull off the most elaborate April fools joke, running in to tell them that the stone that covered the entrance to Jesus’ tomb had been rolled away and the body gone. Though Peter and John, run to the scene, they still can’t quite understand what has happened.
The road to Emmaus
Later that afternoon, two disciples on the road to Emmaus, walk along in utter despair. Although they have heard the testimony of the women, telling them about the empty tomb, and the angels who told them Jesus was alive, still they cannot believe it. It sounds like complete foolishness, it is so unbelievable.
As the disciples journey on, Jesus meets them in their place of unbelief and says
How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?
… and beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself.
The testimony of the women, that first Easter morning, was not foolishness, it was not some elaborate hoax, what they had to report was real and has been the good news that has transformed the lives of millions of people ever since. And so this Easter time, we can with joy again declare, along with the angels ‘He is not here – Jesus is not dead and in a tomb – He has risen! And through his resurrection, Jesus assures us of the promise of life everlasting.
Alleluia!
May God bless you this Easter time.
Heather
Holy Week and Easter Services
Holy Week Compline Service @ 9.00pm—A short service of night prayer held on zoom on Mon 3, Tues 4th, Weds 5th & Thurs 6th April (at 9.30pm). Zoom link: ID 862 2613 6468 Password 477907
6th April—8pm Maundy Thursday Agape Meal at St John’s, Great Horkesley— A simple meal of bread and cheese and fellowship to remember Jesus’ last supper with His disciples.
7th April—10.00am Good Friday Service—A reflective service, followed by hot cross buns.
Sunday 9th April—9.30am Easter Day—All-age Easter Praise service, with a shortened Communion, followed by an Easter Egg hunt and refreshments!
All are welcome!
Prayer spaces in Holy Week
During Holy Week there will be prayer spaces in the church, helping us to explore the events of Holy Week in a prayerful way. These will be available Tuesday 4th – Friday 7th April, 10 – 4pm and will be suitable for people of all ages. Please come along and spend some time reflecting and praying.
FISH Club
Food in School Holidays Club for Families—3 & 14 April @ 11.30am-2pm
Come along to FiSH, (Food in School Holidays), and enjoy a hot meal and lots of fun craft activities and games. The sessions are free, and open to all families! Please contact the church office.
Services & Other Dates
| 2nd April | 9:30 am | All Age Palm Sunday Service & Baptism |
| 3rg April | 11:30 am | (FISH) Food in School Holidays Club |
| 3rd-5th April | 9:00 pm | Holy Week Compline on Zoom |
| 6th April | 9:30 pm | Holy Week Compline on Zoom |
| 7th April | 10:00 am | Good Friday – Meditation on the Passion |
| 9th April | 9:30 am | All Age Easter Celebration Service with a shortened Communion and followed by an Easter Egg hunt |
| 14th April | 11:30 am | (FISH) Food in School Holidays Club |
| 16th April | 9:30 am | Holy Communion |
| 23rd April | 9:30 am | St George’s Day Parade Service & Annual Meeting |
| 30th April | 10:00 am | Joint 6 Parishes Service at All Saints Church, Great Horkeslely |
Our Team at St Mary’s
- Priest in Charge: Revd. Heather Wilcox
email: [email protected]
tel: 01206 240906 or 07503 151715 - Assistant Priest: Revd Anne Mason
email: [email protected].
tel: 07895 970834 (Sunday & Tuesday – Thursday). - Church Wardens:
Peter & Caroline Finlay, — [email protected] or 07926 387551 and
Kate & Stephen Penrose, — 07973 421306 - Licensed Lay Ministers (LLMs):
Richard Chadborn—01206 240541;
Michael Foster—01206 241022;
Joy Budden—01206 241871;
Liz Dixon—07914 001212. - Parish Evangelist
Ron Seymour—01206 272579. - Church Administrator:
Donna Luxton — 01206 243683,
email: [email protected].
Church Office Hours — Monday – Friday 10 am – midday. - Hall Bookings:
Nicole Long—01206 240443. - Newsletter Editor:
Liz Dixon
tel: 07914 001212
email: [email protected]. - Website: Stmaryswestbergholt.co.uk
- Follow us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/stmaryswestbergholt.