Saint Michael’s Church
Serving God and Bishop’s Stortford
Clergy Letter For April 2009
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CLERGY LETTER FOR APRIL 2009 |
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The Revd June Knight writes....
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HAPPY EASTER As we approach yet another Easter I wonder just how important it is to you? Compared to Christmas it is a very gentle season, no hectic shopping and endless wrapping of presents and writing of cards, few of which are ever acknowledged! None of the pressures like finding a Christmas tree and the annual climb into the attic for those dusty decorations plus all the other traditions of which we partake. No, Easter is a very gentle unassuming festival, for many it comes and goes almost without being noticed. For the majority it will mean just the traditional Easter eggs and the bonus of two days Bank holiday. But for Christians it is probably the most important festival in the Church calendar. The services we hold take us through the last few days of Jesus’ life over 2000 years ago, three days which changed the world. On Maundy Thursday we remember the last supper Jesus had with his friends before Judas slipped out into the darkness and for just 30 pieces of silver betrayed the Son of God. Then on Good Friday there is the walk of witness through the town, which hopefully is a reminder to the busy shoppers of the relevance of the day to believers, this is followed by an ecumenical service held at the And then on Easter Sunday, our church bursts forth with flowers, music, and worship celebrating the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. New life, new hope. Now more than ever, people need a purpose a real hope for the future. Each one of us, whether rich, poor, black or white will each have to die one day and it is a natural question to ask ‘what happens when we die’? The unbeliever will answer this by saying, ‘I knew nothing before I was born, and I will know nothing after I die’; they have a great surprise awaiting them after ‘take off’. Army Chaplains will tell you that you very rarely come across an atheist on the battle field. In the same way I have rarely met a dying person whose thoughts did not reach out to God and to questions like ‘Is there really another life’? We saw a very moving example of this recently when the television celebrity Jade Goodey choose to be Baptised along with her two little sons in hospital. When health, wealth and life begin to ebb away, thoughts of a loving Heavenly Father are consoling and comforting. but we don’t have to wait until the last chapter of our own story before we renew, and refresh our relationship with God. Could you spare twenty minutes or an hour for God? After all His Son gave His life for you. It would be really lovely to you over the Easter weekend. June Knight |
Office Address:
Saint Michael’s Church
Windhill
Bishops Stortford
Hertfordshire
CM23 2ND