Reverend Ann's Letter

Holy Week and April 2026

I wrote this last April – I know this seem like cheating, but it seems even more necessary now to repeat what I said then:

Welcome to April, welcome to longer days and shorter nights, welcome to the blossoming of Spring and, of course, welcome to Easter. As we live through this age of anxiety and unprecedented challenges, we need to know that we are children of God’s unfathomable and never-ending love, borne through death on the cross and triumphant in resurrection. 

Most of all, we need to hear the message of hope that Christ carries through all his suffering and proclaims at his resurrection.

As I said, we are living through times when chaos and hostility seem so often to have the upper hand.  But despite this, there is so much good that continues.  I have just come in from the garden, enjoying the spring sunshine and the primroses and daffodils.  The birds are still singing; the sun is still rising and setting.  We are still meeting with those we love, we are still laughing and crying, we are still singing and worshipping.  Good things that are beyond our control, and that we don’t get to hear about, are still happening.

Easter morning comes with an almost incredible statement of new life in the resurrection of Jesus, and hope and resurrection are now in the very DNA of our existence.

So whatever you may be doing this Easter, may you take some time to focus on the forgiveness and hope that is now ours through Jesus Christ.

As Christians we must carry this hope for others and seek out those places and circumstances where we can offer hope instead of despair, encouragement where there is doubt and light where there is darkness.

We can do this because of what happened on Easter day.  Jesus bears all our wilful wrongdoing and by his sacrifice and selfless act of forgiveness offers us the chance to begin afresh, not just once, but time and time again.  This is not just good news – but the best ever!

He is risen indeed.  Hallelujah.

Go well

Ann