Thoughts from the Vicarage – March

Thoughts from the Vicarage… Last month, I wrote about Lent and suggested that you might like to give up something during this period to remind yourself how much Jesus gave up for us. This month, I want to write about Easter. Christmas is the most popular festival in the Christian year supported, as it is, by the commercialism of the shops and the generosity of Father Christmas but Easter is, to my mind, the more important festival. Jesus made the supreme sacrifice on Good Friday by dying on the cross and, on Easter Day – the Day of Resurrection, by rising again to give us the hope of everlasting life. The presents we receive at Christmas are of a transient nature but the gift of eternal life which Jesus gave us on that first Easter day is for ever and ever. Jesus said: I am going to my Father’s house to prepare a place for you (John 14:2) and it is this glorious prospect to which we can look forward at the end of our lives here on earth, in a place where He will wipe every tear from your eyes and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (The Revelation of St John the Divine 21:3-4). This gift is beyond price; beyond time; beyond our imagination. I would remind those who have been confirmed that Easter is a day of obligation – you are expected to receive communion on this day. And to assist you in this there will be no less than four opportunities to do so: at the quietly reflective 8:00 am service at Little Horkesley, at a child friendly service at 9:15 am at Mount Bures or 11:00 am at Wormingford and, finally, at a short quiet service after the Benefice Choral Evensong at 6:30 pm at Little Horkesley. There must be one of these times which will suit you and your social arrangements for the day and I look forward to seeing you at one of these services. There will also be a service of Morning Prayer at 11:00 am at Little Horkesley with something to interest the children The Benefice Choral Evensong should be good and I commend it to your attention and attendance: our friends, the Mersea Island Chorus under the direction of Professor John Davies (who have sung in more than one cathedral) will be joining the Little Horkesley choir to give us a Cathedral-style Choral Evensong. All those who promised to attend benefice services at the Joint Benefice PCC meeting last year will, I am sure, be there. Little Horkesley holds 150 people and I hope we will test this seating to capacity. God bless Henry