Origins of Easter

Easter is the oldest and the most important Christian Festival.

The word Easter is thought to have derived from the goddess Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon Goddess.

Like most Christian festivals, Easter had its origins in pre-Christian times. Our ancestors believed that the sun died in winter and was born anew in spring. The arrival of spring was celebrated all over the world long before the religious meaning became associated with Easter. Today Easter celebrates the rebirth of Christ. Although Easter is associated with spring in this country, other countries in the southern hemisphere celebrate Easter near the end of autumn. However throughout the world Easter is felt to be a time of new life and new beginning because of Jesus' rebirth.

Hot Cross Buns are a tradition of Easter, usually eaten on Good Friday, the pastry cross symbolising the cross on which Jesus was crucified.  These buns were traditionally eaten at breakfast time and were once sold by street vendors who sang a little song about them, 'Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns, One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns'.

It has become a custom to give out chocolate eggs at Easter. In the middle ages hard boiled or pace eggs used to be decorated and coloured.  The bright colours indicated the new, fresh colours of spring. Decorated eggs were made even more famous by King Edward 1 who ordered 450 eggs to be gold-leafed and coloured for Easter gifts in 1290.

Easter cards arrived in Victorian England when a stationer added a greeting to a drawing of a rabbit.  The cards proved to be very popular.
Weekly Workout
The Doctor told me I should start an exercise programme. Not wanting to harm this older body, I've devised the following:

Monday: Wade through the morning paper. Beat around the bush.  Jump to conclusions. Climb the walls.

Tuesday: Drag my heels. Push my luck. Make mountains out of molehills. Hit the nail on the head.

Wednesday: Bend over backwards. Jump on the Band Wagon. Run around in circles.

Thursday: Advise the government on how to run the country. Toot my own horn.  Pull out all the stops. Add fuel to the  fire.

Friday: Open a can of worms. Put my foot in my mouth. Start the ball rolling. Go over the edge.

Saturday: Pick up the pieces.

Sunday: Kneel in prayer. Bow my head in thanksgiving. Uplift my hands in praise. Hug someone and encourage them.

Phew! What a workout!

The Garden

Come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses...

FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING :

PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:

1.    Peace of mind
2.    Peace of heart
3.    Peace of soul

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:

1.    Squash gossip
2.    Squash indifference
3.    Squash grumbling
4.    Squash selfishness

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:

1.    Lettuce be faithful
2.    Lettuce be kind
3.    Lettuce be patient
4.    Lettuce really love one another

NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:

1.    Turnip for meetings
2.    Turnip for service
3.    Turnip to help one another

TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:

1.    Thyme for each other
2.    Thyme for family
3.    Tyme for friends

WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE.  THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.

Walk thru the Bible

The Old Testament Walk thru the Bible Seminar has already taken place. It was a great success and everyone who came along said that, with the way it was taught, it made so much more sense and helped us to piece together and remember the stories in the Books of the Old Testament.

Walk thru will help us discover the answers to many questions, as well as revealing the big picture of the Bible. This is a must for all and even if you were not able to come along to the first one, we strongly advise that this is not to be missed. Even if you have been to the seminars before, still come

The seminar lasts a whole day and will take place on Saturday April 3rd.  Don't miss it!

For Further information speak to Eric Blowes or any member of the pastoral team.

Book this date into your diary and plan now to come and be part of this exciting journey into and through the New Testament.

Woman for Christ - Sizewell 2004

Late afternoon on 23rd January the six of us set out for our Ladies Conference Weekend at Sizewell Hall. Our party consisted of Judy, Ruth, Michelle, Mandy, Jan and myself. We had a good journey to Sizewell and soon found ourselves amongst just over 100 other ladies all looking forward to a break from normal routine and having time to study God¹s Word without interruption.

Room 16 was allotted to the Stanway party, all six of us, and looked out over the beach and the sea. We soon settled in and were looking forward to the weekend ahead, we then had an evening meal and got to know other ladies on the Conference. Judy soon found herself amongst folk from the Chelmsford area whom she had been acquainted with over the years and I was happy to mingle amongst many ‘regulars’ at Sizewell Hall.

Our theme for the weekend was 'Set free to serve’ and we had four sessions on Peter’s First Epistle under the headings 'Our hope in Christ’, 'Walk tall because of this hope’, 'How then shall we live?’ and 'Tough going?’. Our two lady speakers, Linda Pepper and Pam Harvey complimented one another in their expositions on this subject and gave us all a considerable amount to think about.

We were very blessed with almost Spring-like weather and the six of us spent a very pleasant two hours walking along the beach to Thorpeness and back on the Saturday afternoon. In the evening we had a visit from a lady who collects Victorian clothes etc., and with the help of two models she took us back over the years with the various fashions ­ good fun and very interesting.

Sunday morning at 8am saw us in the Conference Room (yes, even Ruth was there!!!) for our Communion Service. There is always something very special about this very first service in the day as you look through the windows out to sea and concentrate on what the Lord did for us on Calvary¹s cross that first Easter-tide.

We certainly had good fellowship, good food and great fun and got to know each other just that little bit better.

                       Marion Bland