Welcome to our Fourth Friday Connection

Good Friday – On our Walk of Witness this year we shall be travelling together in our hearts and minds as we remember what Jesus did for us on Golgotha.

The cross is where Jesus took our sins away by his willing sacrifice. Good Friday fulfilled all the prophecies about who would be the one true Saviour who would bring peace. Psalm 85 verse 10 says “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other”. Jesus asks for nothing from us except faith – a faith which follows His teachings. Even when Jesus was on the cross and being mocked he asked His Father to forgive those mockers.

He asks us, his followers, to live a life of love and forgiveness as he did. We know that the suffering of Jesus is followed by a glorious resurrection on Easter Day. Hebrews 12 verse 2 asks us to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God”; because of Jesus we are blessed and put right with God who reigns with righteousness and peace.

The first disciples were not in a church when they met the risen Jesus – they were at home, behind locked doors, afraid of what the future might hold. Jesus burst through their doubts and fears, and showed them that their lives could have purpose and meaning that they could not know without him, and know his presence and power in their homes and lives and world. This year on Easter Day we will be at home, perhaps feeling unsure about the future – with the risen Jesus we can find a certainty that he will be with us in every part of our lives, no matter what the future may hold – we can still say: the Lord is risen – He is risen indeed! Amen.

See, what a morning, gloriously bright, with the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;
folded the grave clothes, tomb filled with light, as the angels announce Christ is risen!
See God’s salvation plan, wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,
fulfilled in Christ, the Man, for he lives: Christ is risen from the dead!
… And we are raised with him, death is dead, love has won, Christ has conquered;
and we shall reign with him, for he lives: Christ is risen from the dead!
©Stuart Townend (b.1963) and Keith Getty (b.1974)

Easter Sunday Communion at Home

Why not use this simple communion at 10.30am on Easter Day to bring us together as a church family?

Take a small piece of bread and some juice and say:

Bring bread to the table – Bring the body of Christ
Bring wine to the table – Bring the blood of Christ

Holy God, we praise you. We bless you for creating the world, for your promises to your people, and for Jesus, in whose face we see your fullness.

Born of Mary, he shares our life.
In broken bread he shares his life: with the hungry, the exploited & the poor.
In poured wine he shares his promise: with the oppressed, the hopeless and the excluded.

With thanksgiving we break the bread & lift the cup.
We proclaim Christ’s death & resurrection. We claim the promise of life.
We share the gifts of bread & wine, and share his gifts of love & life in our daily lives.

Unite us in faith, encourage us with hope, inspire us to love, that we may serve as your faithful disciples, until we join with all your people around your banquet table. Amen