EASTER IS UPON US AGAIN!! 2009.

I recently realised I had not written anything since Epiphany, and here we are with Easter upon us!! Easter is much later this year, and with the weather a little better than it was last year, and all the Daffodils etc out, it feels more like Easter.
With the turn of events this year, it has been hard to focus on Lent, but Andrew and I have tried changes in diet, in a bid to view things at a different angle, and not falling into the trap of thinking of it as "Give up Chocolate time"!
God has been good to me, with the way my official days off have fallen. As a result, I have been able to be off work from Good Friday right through to the following Wednesday!! Due to working late, I missed the Maundy Thursday Holy Communion, but yesterday, I was able to take part in a couple of very moving events. In the morning, we had the Exploration of the Cross at St. Lukes, which involved the image of the cross laid out on the floor, and we were given a choice of different stages and hands on experiences. There was a chance to paint our hands red and mark a hand print on the paper cross image, and to imagine that there really was blood on our hands, and then to wash our hands. We also had an opportunity to paint a stone red, to wash it and to place it on a cairn in the centre of the cross. This was all so we could imagine if it was blood, and if we were Pilate washing his hands of our Lord's blood. We also had a confession corner with the scripture relating to Peter's denial and kneelers set out, where we could bring to god all the times we have denied him. All this was interspersed with scripture readings, and an opening and closing liturgy relating all the events to the present day, and Jesus being with us now, in Norwich.
In the afternoon, I and a few from our church took part in the silent Walk of Reconciliation in the city. After a short service in Chapelfield Methodist church, we walked in silence and followed the cross it the Cathedral. People did stop and look at us, but who knows if they understood what it was about. One man shouted out the word, "JEWS!" to which a woman in the procession retorted "Jesus was Jewish!" We had a very moving point in front of the Forum where nails were driven into the cross, and the sound of banging echoed against the big building. Then the cross was stood up, and that in itself was very powerful, it really felt like Jesus was being crucified for us personally, in Norwich. The walk culminated in a service of Evensong in the Cathedral, which was packed full, so we really raised the roof with our singing!
Next port of call for us, is the Confirmation at the Cathedral this evening, when we will be supporting a number of people from St. Lukes as they make the commitment to follow Jesus.