Easter Sunday - Early Morning Spiritual Communion
Good morning and Happy Easter!
Please see the link below for a Spiritual Communion in which we can share in this morning from The Methodist Church Website.
An Easter Message from Rev Christine Fox
Jesus is risen! He is risen indeed!
Matthew’s account of Easter morning adds joy to the women’s fear – the news from the angel and the meeting with Jesus fills their hearts with such mixed emotions! (Matthew 28:1-10)
Easter morning is full of joy! How is it possible for people who are understandably afraid, to be feeling joy as well? It happened to the two Marys that first Easter morning and its happening again today! All across the world a virus has spread fear into people’s hearts and yet all across the world millions of Jesus’ friends are also filled with joy!
It may be that you too wondered if you would feel the joy of Easter – no Easter breakfasts or joyful greetings with handshakes as you enter the church building. No sharing together in Holy Communion in the way we’ve become accustomed to. Our fears for the vulnerable, and maybe even ourselves, have helped us to follow the advice to stay at home, to keep our distance, but still leave many of us a bit fearful. The physical social interactions that usually bring us such joy have been sacrificed for the greater good.
‘Do not be afraid’ Jesus says when the women almost bump into him as they rush to tell the disciples the news. ‘Go and tell my brothers to go home and there they will see me’ – well he didn’t quite say that, he said tell them to ‘go to Galilee’ – but one of the places that Jesus’ friends met him was at home. As a friend of Jesus, receive his promise that he will meet with you, even today at home, and let the knowledge that he lives be sufficient for you. Become aware of a deep joy within you that is not about feelings but more about faith. And see too the way that love rises up in the midst of what looks like darkness – love is being spread abroad in our world by self-giving acts of kindness which includes each of us doing as we have been asked to, yes, at a cost to ourselves but vital for bringing life! For each one of us who cuts down our trips out, or keeps a safer distance, pressure is taken off an intensive care unit, and more lives are saved.
May the joy that comes from knowing Jesus and being his friend hold you and keep you in the days to come.
Dear friends, you are all in my prayers at this time – thank you to all of you who are contacting or helping each other– it means so much! My prayer is that you know the joy of Easter no matter what happens! God bless you… Rev Christine (and Keith)