Minister's Letter: April and May, 2012

Dear Friends,

Over the last six weeks we have journeyed through Lent and heard or read passages from the Old Testament. These have included the story of God’s covenant with Noah, His promise to Abraham and Sarah, the giving of the Ten Commandments, His guidance for Moses as he lead the Israelites to the Promised Land, God’s promise to Jeremiah of a new covenant and the Servant passage from Isaiah. These stories remind us that from the very beginning of time God had a plan for His people. This plan was fulfilled through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of His Son Jesus Christ.

“If you have been raised with Christ,
seek the things that are above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God.
Set your hearts on things that are above,
not things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3: 1-2)

As we journey through Holy Week there are opportunities to gather as God’s people to remember and ponder the sacrifice that Jesus made for each of us. On the evening of Palm Sunday we will walk the stages of the cross at Pant Asaph in North Wales. Our Tenebrae Service will be held on Maundy Thursday at which a simple meal is eaten, Holy Communion shared and the story of the Passion is read in candlelight. On Good Friday we join the ecumenical Walk of Witness to the top of Frodsham Hill. It is there that on Easter morning we resume our prayers before sharing breakfast together in the church hall. Following this there will be two services; 09.30LIVE! is our family friendly service and this will be followed at 10.45am by an our Easter celebration of Holy Communion. Details and times of all these events are to found elsewhere in the magazine.

I pray that as we journey with Jesus entering into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and all that leads him to the cross on Good Friday we may understand that Christ did this for each of us. And may we all have the joy and awe of that first Easter morning shining in and around our lives.

Yours in Christ,

Pat