Easter in our United Benefice

We began our Easter Morning services with a 6am Dawn Eucharist in Bishop Chester’s Wood behind St Michael & All Angels Church to celebrate The Resurrection of Christ.

Despite the gloomy weather forecast we were blessed with a sunny dawn and members from our 3 villages came together in fellowship surrounded by the beauty of God’s Creation with the birds singing and the blackbirds and thrushes hopping around about us.
To ensure the candle didn’t go out during the service Reverend Michael used a candle that could fit into the holder and this was brought into church for our 9.15am service to light the Pascal Candle then it was placed in front of the alter for the duration of the service.

St Michael & All Angels Sunday Club have been working hard making an Easter Garden which was a lovely addition to the Easter Lilies.
Reverend Michael gathered the children round the garden during the service before saying a prayer of blessing.

It was nice to see Ben, Sarah and baby Naomi who joined us from Oxford. Ben was a member of our congregation for many years before he joined Agape after leaving university. This year Ben started training for ordination and Sarah continues her work in the University for Agape.

St Peter’s Church looked beautiful thanks to members of the Tea Party committee who arranging the painting of our church and the work of the ladies who arranged the Easter Lily displays around the church.

the ladies from St John the Evangelist Church also provided wonderful displays around the church of Easter Lilies and an Easter Garden