Julie's Jottings for April

Over the next days and weeks, the Church’s focus moves from darkness to light.  Holy Week begins in April, with reflective compline services and commemorations of Jesus’s journey toward crucifixion, including his last supper on Maundy Thursday and a reflection of his time in the garden at Gethsemane as he struggled to make good choices in the face of intolerable suffering.

On Good Friday, children will create a garden with three crosses. In the afternoon between 2-3pm when Jesus would have been facing his last hour, in the church we will walk the stations of the cross.  Then at 7.30pm there will be an evening Tenebrae service led by the Byrd Club choir. Tenebrae means ‘darkness’ or ‘shadows’ in Latin and, during the service, the darkness deepens as candles are gradually extinguished. This service is a meditation on Christ’s suffering, using readings from the Gospel of Matthew to follow the story of his passion. Through music and reflection, we highlight the drama of this significant day.

Holy Saturday includes a 5pm vigil, where the new Easter Paschal candle is lit, symbolising Christ’s resurrection and renewed life. The members of the congregation renew their baptismal commitments.
At 8pm on Holy Saturday, Neil, Georgie, Seb, Torin, Olivia, and Alistair will be confirmed at Ely Cathedral after many weeks of preparation. Confirmation is seen as a fresh start and new identity, emphasising gratitude for God’s love and Christ’s invitation to act for good in our daily lives.

On Easter Day we will capture the joy of Easter.  Those newly confirmed will join the rest of the congregation and celebrate new beginning, new life and renewed hope.          
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Rev Julie Norris
                          

Reflection for Holy Week April 2026

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?  These sad words from the old Afro-American spiritual draw us in Holy week, more so than at any other time of the year, to the foot of the cross. We stand and look up, look upon the shattered body of our dying Saviour. We know and grieve that it is our sinfulness that has nailed Him there, but we also know that this is the way of our salvation.  We know, as many on that first Good Friday did not know, that His death on the cross was not the end, it was really the beginning and His glorious resurrection would be the beginning of new life for us. 

On the day before He died Jesus prayed to His Father “let this cup pass from me”.   His sweat became as drops of blood as He realised the terrible torments that would be inflicted upon Him in the hours to come. His flogging with the Roman lash, three leather thongs with lead pellets at the end of each thong, left his back bare and bleeding profusely. Pilate had ordered the flogging hoping that would be sufficient punishment to satisfy the crowd, but they continued to demand crucifixion.

The Roman soldiers held the Jews in utter contempt. To have their supposed king captive provided an opportunity for sport and mockery. “Hail king of the Jews” They gave him a reed as a sceptre. They wove the crown of long thorns and with repeated blows of the reed they drove it down onto His head. The thorns penetrated his forehead, temples and the back of His head, giving excruciating pain and bleeding.

The weight of the cross, the weight of our sins, pressed down heavily on Jesus as he staggered and stumbled, on his way towards Calvary.  There he was unceremoniously stripped, the clothes being torn off his scarred back taking shreds of flesh with them and reopening His wounds.  The nails driven through His hands and feet caused unbearable pain, the weight of his body tearing against their restraint.

For all that suffering Jesus called on His Father to forgive his torturers. They were the unwitting part of His great plan for our Salvation. At the moment of death He cried out ‘It is accomplished’, our redemption, if we would but pick up our own crosses and follow Him.  

Dear Lord Jesus you suffered and died for us. May we live for you. Amen

                                                                                                                                                                                            David Peacock