MINISTERS MESSAGE

I wish the rain would stop and we could begin to enjoy a non-squelchy walk across the park.

But do not despair, the signs of Spring are in the air: the days are getting lighter and by the time the clocks go forward we ahall well and truly find ourselves in the Easter season.

 I have noticed, as I notch up my daily step count around the neighbouhood, an increasing number of Easter wreaths adorning front doors and windows. More so than there used to be.

We are, of course used to seeing Christmas wreaths, with their dark foliage and red berries reminding passers by of the coming season, and that beyond the darkness of winter, new shoots will soon be appearing.

 But here, we are getting a whole new interpretation of a a Godly truth: that Light is breaking into the world, bringing promise of hope.

 In the same way, those women who went to the tomb expecting to find Jesus' dead body, were shaken into whole new way of seeing and believing.

They were suddenly awakened by the sight of an empty tomb and a shimmering figure declaring

'He is not here. He is raised and is waiting ahead of you'.

 Though it took his followers some time for the truth to sink in, that Jesus was alive in a whole new way and was waiting for them to catch on and catch up.

 So it is with us, sometimes it takes a while for us to grasp the amazing truth of God's promise that he is with us, waiting for us in the here and now of our day.

It often takes a shift of realisation for us to dare to believe that Hope is a divine gift that we should nurture and cherish, whatever the weather.

 Alleluia, Christ is Risen: He is risen indeed!

Happy Easter

Helena