Dear Friends

I hope I’ll be hearing the words “Happy Easter” a lot during this month.

What do we mean when we wish each other “Happy Easter”?

Well, Jesus’s friends and followers were happy when they realised that Jesus was alive after he had died. One of the prayers we’ll pray in church after Easter Day is:

“Almighty Father,
Who in your great mercy made the disciples glad with the sight of the risen Lord:
Give us such knowledge of his presence with us,
That we may be strengthened and sustained by his risen life. Amen.”

Jesus’s friends were glad, happy that Jesus was alive and they could carry on talking and listening with him. They were glad, happy that he could carry on helping them know how to live.

We can’t see Jesus in the same way as they did, but because Jesus rose from the dead, we know that he is with us; we can talk and listen with him and he can carry on helping us know how to live.

We can also be glad and happy because we know that we can always have a fresh start or live a new life, with Jesus.

This means that if we mess things up, we can start again. It means that if we do things wrong, we can ask for God’s forgiveness and start again. It means that if someone does something wrong to us, we can forgive them and start again.

It means that God is all about life – that’s why Jesus couldn’t stay dead – so God cares all about our lives, what we do every day of the week, how we’re getting on with other people and if we’re using the gifts and talents that he’s given us.

If we remember some of these things every time we hear or say “Happy Easter,” we’ll be praying for a new, good life for everyone around us and we’ll see some changes.

God bless you all and a very Happy Easter

What have you given up for Lent? That’s a question which you might hear about this time of year. Or, you might not and you might wonder what on earth I’m talking about.

Well, Lent is the period of time just before Easter, about six weeks actually, and traditionally that time has been used for preparation to celebrate Jesus’s resurrection, his return to life from death. Christians were often baptised on Easter Day (what a great way to celebrate the new life that Jesus brings) and so Lent was a time to get ready for Baptism. Nowadays, many Christians use Lent to think a bit more about how to follow Jesus and try to do something to help them get to know Jesus better. Sometimes, that involves giving something up; maybe a luxury which we don’t think we can manage without (we should be depending on God, not chocolate!)

Sometimes, that involves giving up something which takes up a lot of time (we could give up watching telly for half an hour and spend half an hour praying instead).

Sometimes that involves giving up buying something we don’t need and giving away the money we’ve saved (putting the price of a pint in your favourite charity box could make a lot of difference).

Sometimes that involves doing something different or extra; spending a bit more time praying, coming to church, going for a walk or visiting a neighbour. What would help you get to know Jesus better or what would help you find out what he wants you to do? Think of something that’s possible but different and creative for you.

In church, we’ve often held regular meetings throughout Lent, so that together we can learn and pray. Well, this year, we’ve got a great opportunity because Bishop Paul is coming to our deanery to lead three meetings. The meetings are called “Lord, teach us to pray” and they’re happening on March 1st, March 8th and March 15th. They’re all held in Wollaton, but don’t worry if you need transport, we’ll be able to provide lifts for everyone who needs one.

What are you giving up for Lent? If you ask me, I’ll say, “Nothing”. I’m not giving anything up, but I will try to do more; more praying, more listening to Jesus, learning more about what his new life means for me and for all of us, and I’m looking forward to celebrating his resurrection.

God bless you.

Long ago and far away, well, in about 2006 and in Beeston actually, I took a school assembly. It was an infant school in the first week of the January term and the children were extremely keen, bright and hanging on my every word.

It being the New Year, I’d prepared a talk on resolutions and I asked the children what resolutions they could make which would make school abetter place.

A sea of eager hands went up. Great, I thought; I’d planned in my mind what their answers would be. They didn’t comply with that at all. The first answer was, “We could paint the walls”. It wasn’t quite what I’d got in mind but I encouraged them to offer more suggestions. “We could paint the walls yellow”, said one, “Pink” said yet one more and “White”, said the last.

I can tell you that I thought I’d lost the plot. Those children weren’t fitting in with my plans, they weren’t coming up with the resolutions that I thought they should come up with. I thought I’d failed.

But the teacher who was with me said that it was great, that the children and myself were on a roll, because the children were thinking for themselves, they were thinking out of the box.

Thinking out of the box; have you ever tried doing something in a completely different way to normal? Have you ever looked at someone and thought, “Well I’d never have expected her to say or do that”. Have you ever prayed to God and been totally amazed, knocked sideways, by the way God has answered?

It is quite likely. Whenever we try to put God into a box, God will breakout of it. Whenever we decide what God should be doing, God will challenge us. This is what we saw back at Christmas when God turned up in a manger and surprising strangers turned up to see him.

In church we will see this more and more over the next month while we prepare for Easter. At Easter, God smashed open every box that people tried to fasten him into. Even though Easter Day is over two months away, it’s not too soon to be thinking about it.

Thinking out of the box? Doing the unexpected? That’s God’s speciality, talk to one of us or come along to church to find out more.

God bless you.

When you read this, we’ll probably be celebrating Christmas. Indeed, I hope we are celebrating Christmas whenever we get around to reading the January magazine, because Christmas means God is with us. So, we ought to have a Christmas party every day, all year round, but probably not with mince pies and Christmas pudding; they really are a midwinter treat aren’t they?

So I hope that you are enjoying Christmas, God with us, whatever is happening. Thank you for all the good greetings which made their way to our house throughout December. Thank you too to everyone who gave their time, energy and talents so generously to make Christmas in Bilborough and Strelley so good and so varied. It was a December which I’ll remember for a long time, with the story of Jesus’ birth read, acted out and sung about in all sorts of places. I’m so glad for Christmas Services, teas, fairs and a festival, for good food and good company, for beautifully decorated Churches and for hundreds of Christingles: thank you to everyone who made it all possible.

We now have to think about what we’re going to do in January, when we might have a bit more time. How about reading a good book? I’d like to recommend one which I read in two sittings back in November.

It’s not a long book, but it’s fast moving and action packed. It takes the reader through a full range of experiences and emotions, the best and the worst of human life is there. It’s a story of intrigue, rivalry, danger, corruption and betrayal. It’s a story of loyalty, friendship, sacrifice and changed lives. It is a love story of the highest order.

This book is written by a man called Mark, it’s called the gospel of Mark and you’ll find it in the Bible. Throughout this year, we’ll be reading it in very short sections on Sundays in church. But, it really makes a difference if you can listen to it or read it as you would any other book or story.

There will be copies of this book available in our three churches throughout January, for you to take home and read. You can also download this book or listen to it on CD. It comes highly recommended, it’s part of the world’s number one best seller.

I’ll love to hear how you get on.

In the meantime, have a very happy New Year.

God bless you all