Dear Church Family,

Easter is going to be different this year. We’re all going to miss the joy of sharing the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection face to face. But persecuted Christians have been in this situation before, and many are still unable to meet in many parts of the world.

Thankfully, God’s Church doesn’t rely on a face to face Easter celebration event in a building. The big event that matters happened 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem when it was discovered that there wasn’t a body in Jesus’ tomb.

There are always good things to learn, even in bad situations: In this one, while we can’t ‘go to Church’ we are realising more clearly than ever, that we are the Church. Church isn’t just a meeting you go to, but a people you belong to, and in our part of the world we can still ‘meet’ online and hear God’s word together that way. 

So, do join us for our daily Easter meditations, including Good Friday, and our Easter service – you’ll find them on our YouTube channel, and we’ll be posting daily links on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts (links at the bottom of this email)

The ‘upside’ of ‘online Church’ is that it is more accessible to more people. Most of the country won’t go to Church, even at Easter. But many are anxious, and will go online to see what Church is like that way. Please pray that some may join us online this Easter Day.

And for this Easter Sunday evening, I can recommend the Easter 5 pm service from St. Andrew the Great, Cambridge, with Glen Scrivener preaching. It will be live-streamed at 5 pm here. (Once on the page, click the ‘5.00 pm Service’ box.)

May I take this opportunity to wish you the JOY of the Lord this Easter! Because despite the circumstances, The Lord is risen!

With love in the risen Lord, 

Ian