Looking back over our Holy Week and Easter services we have so much to give thanks for!

In Avington: for our Songs of Praise service on Easter Sunday evening, when we filled this historic church with some rousing singing!

In Itchen Abbas: for our Café church on Palm Sunday, and then the two reflective services in St John’s, celebrating a Passover-style communion and experiencing a candlelit vigil at the cross for the Last Hour, led so creatively by Revd Sarah Tillett.

In Martyr Worthy: for our Palm Sunday Choral Evensong (with Tim Tyler’s excellent choir), for our three Compline services and, above all, for the re-enactment in the warm sunshine of the Way of the Cross, culminating in contemplating the crucifixion in the church—so powerful in its effect.

And in Easton, for the donkey procession from the Cricketers on Palm Sunday, and for all those who filled the church on Easter Day (no more seats available!) for our Church Family Communion.

A big “Thank You!” to all those who helped in any way to help these go so smoothly—especially to those who participated in the Way of the Cross or who offered such wonderful hospitality afterwards.

Yet the biggest “Thank You!”, of course, goes to Jesus Christ, for all he did for us and for giving us the Good News of his Resurrection:

Christ is Risen indeed. Alleluia!

With love and prayers as we continue to enjoy this Easter season!

Revd Peter

For those who are interested, here are the recordings of three of the sermons:

• The Triumphal Entry (my talk on Matt. 21:1-11 on Palm Sunday morning)

• Jesus’ Parable of the Vineyard (my talk on Matt. 21:33-46 on Palm Sunday evening)

• The Evidence for the Resurrection (Sarah Noble’s talk on Matt. 28:1-11 on Easter Sunday morning)

Thanks to all who, in different ways, contributed to the joy we had in celebrating Palm Sunday together in the Valley.

There was lots going on: with children waving their branches both in the morning (walking along Church Lane in Easton, behind Judy Bishop’s donkey) and in the afternoon at Café Church; and with two well-attended services, followed by refreshments which went on a for a nice long time!

In the sermons we considered two different passages from Matthew’s account: The Triumphal Entry (Matt. 21:1-11) and Jesus’ explanation of what was going on that day in his Parable of the Vineyard (Matt. 21:33-46).

I hope these talks will have helped prepared us well to consider again the importance of what Jesus was doing for us all in Jerusalem during this Holy Week,

With love and prayers