St James' Church Pages
Rev Dr Mark Powell writes
Easter & New Life
In the vicarage garden, day by day there seem to be more and more signs of new life. Plants we didn’t know were there suddenly emerge An unrecognised shoot opens into a plant we can name. Spring is the season of new life after the apparent death and chill of winter, and our first spring in Melbourne is especially delightful, as we see the garden develop and burst into life and colour. The birds on the Pool and its islands are busy building nests ready for more new life. We spotted a pair of fast-flying oyster catchers, whirling over the water – Phil Dobby tells me they may nest on the islands, now they have been cleared of undergrowth. The herons have been busy, collecting twigs from the lawn& carrying them over to their nests.
And fourteen baptisms have been booked for April through to July over our group of parishes – more wonderful signs of new life. We look forward to welcoming them into the family of the church.
After the bleakness of Lent and the anguish of Holy Week comes the joy of the Easter morning. After commemorating the death of Christ on the cross on Good Friday, we celebrate the triumph of his resurrection. And, as Christians, we assert that we share in that resurrection, not only at the end of our earthly lives, as we pass into a new way of life, safe in God’s hands, but also within the bounds of this life, as we triumph over life’s adversities. During Lent, we are encouraged to “take up our cross” and walk in its path; at Easter, we are called to walk the risen life with Christ at our side.
For Helen and me, moving to this wonderful part of Derbyshire has been a move to a new life in a new location, and we remain thankful for the generosity of the welcome we have received from you. It has been a great joy and privilege to celebrate our first Easter with you.
“Forth he came at Easter, like the risen grain,
He that for three days in the grave had lain,
Quick from the dead, my risen Lord is seen:
Love is come again,
Like wheat that springeth green.” (J Crum, 1872-1958).
Mark