He, who gave for us His life Who for us endured the strife Is our Paschal lamb today. We too sing for joy and say alleluia. – Ancient & Modern, Hymn 136 Verse 2.
This week is a very important one for Christians. At the start of the week, we remembered how our Lord Jesus Christ entered the Holy City of Jerusalem in triumph. Tomorrow, we recall his suffering, knowing that His crown was thorns and His throne a cross.
For our sins He was lifted high upon the cross that He might draw the whole world to Himself and by his suffering become the source to eternal salvation for all who put their trust in Him.
We are bound to praise given His glorious resurrection for He is the true Paschal Lamb who was sacrificed for us to take away the sin of the world.
By his death He has destroyed death and by His rising to life again He won for us eternal life.
Christ became the first fruits of them who slept. For since through man came death, through Jesus came resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:20).
This Easter message is one of hope, for it reminds us that God came into this world in Jesus Christ, fully God and fully human, and shared our experience, even death itself, and rose victorious from the grave.
Emphasising God’s power over the power of sin, death, unrighteousness, disease, illness and all that is evil and contrary to the will and purpose of God, St Paul reminds us: “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-38).
A blessed and happy Easter to all.
Clergy assignments
The following is the list of churches where members of the Anglican clergy will be for Good Friday services starting at noon:
Archbishop Dr John Holder (St Alban’s), Canon Geoffrey Mayers (St Silas’), Canon Austin Carrington (St Philip’s), Canon Curtis Goodridge (St Augustine’s), Canon Errington Massiah (St Joseph/St Aidan’s), Canon George Harewood (St Stephen’s), Reverend Selven Lowe (Holy Trinity), Rev. Trevor O’Neal (Christ Church), Rev. Michael Maxwell (All Saints’), Rev. John Rogers (St George’s), Rev. Davison Bowen (St Luke’s), Rev. Hugh Sandiford (St Matthias’), Rev. Michael Squires (St Matthew’s), Rev. Desmond Ward (St Anne’s), Rev. Suzanne Ellis (St Lucy), Rev. Angela Phillips (St Patrick’s), Rev. Julian Crawford (St Bartholomew’s), Rev. Jerome Small (St Philip-The-Less).
Good Friday Cantata
The choir of the James Street-Speightstown circuit of the Methodist Church will present their annual Good Friday Cantata.
The Olivet To Calvary by J. H. Maunder has been chosen for the Good Friday reflection at 5:30 p.m. at James Street Methodist Church.
Last words
St Aidan’s Good Friday service will begin at 9 a.m. when Canon Errington Massiah will speak on three of the last seven words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
Holy Saturday service
St Aidan’s Holy Saturday service will be at 6 p.m. It will include the lighting of the new fire, renewal of baptismal vows and sung Eucharist.
Easter services
There will be a procession and sung Eucharist at 7 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. at St Aidan’s/St Joseph Parish Church.
Concert
All Saints’ Anglican Church Choir will hold a concert on April 12 at the church.
Harvest festival
The St Philip Moravian fellowship’s annual harvest festival takes place on April 12 at 3:30 p.m. at Princess Margaret Secondary School, Six Roads, St Philip.
