Dear Friends,

I am delighted that on Easter Day there will be worship in each of our seven village churches. It is fitting that our churches in Regil, Nempnett Thrubwell, Bishop Sutton, Stowey, Felton, Winford and Chew Stoke will be decorated with joyful colours, the Paschal candles will be lit, we will sing the great Easter hymns and receive the living Jesus in his Holy Word and in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. The Resurrection of Jesus is the reason our church buildings exist and, more importantly, the reason we—the Body of Christ; his Church—exist. We are Easter People, called to respond in joy and thanksgiving for everything God has done for us through the death and resurrection of our Saviour.

I hope that, wherever you are, you will be able to attend a service this weekend.

May I wish you and those you love God’s richest blessing for a joyful and peaceful Easter.

Yours in Christ,

Ian

Worship this Easter

GOOD FRIDAY

STOWEY St Nicholas & St Mary

9.00am Meditation on The Cross

WINFORD St Mary & St Peter

2.00pm ‘An Hour at the Cross’

HOLY SATURDAY

CHEW STOKE St Andrew

8.00pm The Easter Vigil & Easter Fire

EASTER DAY

REGIL St James

8.00am Holy Communion (BCP)

NEMPNETT THRUBWELL St Mary

9.00am Eucharist

STOWEY St Nicholas & St Mary

9.00am Holy Communion (BCP)

BISHOP SUTTON Holy Trinity

10.30am Eucharist

WINFORD St Mary & St Peter

11.00am Eucharist

FELTON St Katharine

11.00am Eucharist

CHEW STOKE St Andrew

6.30pm Evensong

Readings & Collect

Acts 10: 34-43

John 20: 1-18

Lord of all life and power,

who through the mighty resurrection of your Son

overcame the old order of sin and death

to make all things new in him:

grant that we, being dead to sin

and alive to you in Jesus Christ,

may reign with him in glory;

to whom with you and the Holy Spirit

be praise and honour, glory and might,

now and in all eternity.

BCP Collect:

Almighty God,

who through thine only-begotten Son Jesus Christ

hast overcome death,

and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life:

We humbly beseech thee,

that as by thy special grace preventing us

thou dost put into our minds good desires,

so by thy continual help

we may bring the same to good effect;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost,

ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Easter Trail

For your prayers

Father in heaven, this Eastertide we rejoice that Christ is Risen from the dead: believing that goodness is stronger than evil, we pray for victims of brutality and injustice … for Christians who worship in fear of persecution this Easter … give them hope in your resurrection to sustain them in their faith;

Believing that love is stronger than hate, we pray for those who are rejected or abused … give courage to all who reach across barriers of race, religion and history to promote friendship and reconciliation. Bless all who serve our villages and enrich our common life;

Believing that light is stronger than darkness, we pray for those who are ignorant of your truth, or alienated from your love … give grace to Michael our Bishop, our clergy and lay ministers and to us your people, that we may grow in Christ and bear witness to new life in him;

Believing that life is stronger than death, we pray for those who, like Mary Magdalene, are lost in grief or pain … we pray for the faithful departed, among them Brian, Eric, Rosemary, Sonia and Simon … strengthen those who mourn with faith that nothing, not even death, can separate us from Christ’s love. Amen