It was so good to welcome Bishop David and his wife Helen into the Itchen Valley last Sunday; and I am so grateful for all those who, in many different ways, helped in our celebrations. We were also helped by the most glorious weather!

In the morning nearly 50 of us experienced a communion service with a difference: first, we re-enacted some of the festivities of the first Palm Sunday, as we processed around the garden of the Itchen Abbas Village Hall (reliably accompanied by Sarah Noble’s accordion!); and then we came in to gather round a table, laden with the special foods of a Jewish Passover, and to hear Bishop David read Luke’s account about Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples, before taking a piece of unleavened bread and drinking the ‘cup of redemption’. As one person said later, “that was the most moving communion service I’ve been to in years—so simple, I was right back there in the upper room!”

In the afternoon the bells of St Mary’s, Easton, rang out to announce that we were now about to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection—which we did in a variety of ways:  watching a video filmed in Jerusalem, singing various Easter hymns (both traditional and modern), listening to an anthem sung by Tim Tyler’s choir, and enjoying the young voices of the Prince’s Mead choir as they performed a new piece called ‘I am the Way’. A huge ‘thank you’ to all our musicians—and especially to the Gospel Jazz group who succeeded in getting down from Oxford just in time (despite road closures on the A34!).

It was great that we were joined for this service, not just by Bishop David, but also by Mark Hogan from St Peter’s Roman Catholic church in Winchester. In his short reflection on Easter, he used the analogy of a bike ride that he once did from south to north, up to John O’Groats. As he looked out over the ocean, he realised he could only go further north by using his eyes, not his feet. His pedalling could only get him so far. So too, he said, there comes a point, when considering Jesus’ resurrection, that the analysis of history will only get us so far; when, instead, we need to reach forwards towards the Risen Christ with eyes of faith and trust.

And then, at the very end, we processed out to the lych-gate, singing ‘Crown him with Many Crowns’, to celebrate Jesus’ Ascension: the words of the blessing given by Bishop David could certainly be heard far and wide!

The garden Party that followed was wonderful. Thanks to everyone who made this and the whole event go so well: to Lynn Russell, Jill Croft and Mary Purser for their sandwiches, cakes and scones; to those who cleaned the church so well after the scaffolding was removed, and then decorated it with beautiful flowers; to those who helped with car parking; and, especially, to Chris for all his work both as warden and as technician.

I had invited Chris forward in the service and it was so good that Bishop David was able to pray for him and the ongoing ministry of St Mary’s, especially during this time when the building is needing some significant repair work. St Mary’s is wonderful church, and it was good that we were able to fill it on Sunday with people worshipping the Risen Jesus.