If we need the long period of Lent to prepare us for Easter, then Easter is the event of the year, and, to understand the Christian faith at all, we have to begin at the empty tomb on Easter morning.
Once we begin to appreciate the significance of the empty tomb, then our view of life, death and everything is transformed.
St Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, sums up the importance of Easter: "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept." (1 Cor 15:19-20, KJV)
Easter ought to be a time characterised by joy. Even that terrible day on which Jesus was crucified, when viewed with a resurrection perspective, becomes Good Friday.
It is a sign of how unchristian our modem society has become that Christmas seems to have overtaken Easter in popularity, and is often seen as a more joyous occasion than Easter.
Christmas, without Easter, is reduced to a soap opera about a socially compromising birth in an undesirable, unhygienic location, with a few paranormal fringe events.
Christmas, with Easter, is the announcement of the beginning of God's master plan to save humanity and the universe.
Do you want to know more?
Then come to some of our Easter services.
If you can, come to a service on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, then you can understand more of the massive scope of what God was doing at Easter.
To help you choose which services to attend, here is a brief introduction to what is planned.
Maundy Thursday 8th April
10.00 Blessing of Oils at St Peter & Paul. In England there is usually a service of Blessing of Oils in the (nearby) Cathedral. That gets complicated in the Diocese in Europe, but in Berne we are fortunate to be able to attend a similar service with our Old Catholic sister church. The service is mostly in German, with some French.
18.30 Agape Passover with Communion.
This service is based on the Last Supper.
It incorporates elements of the Jewish celebration of Passover and our Common Worship 'Service of the Word with Holy Communion'.
It recalls the Passover meal that Jesus shared with his friends on the night before he died, which celebrates the Exodus from Egypt.
We too share a meal together, in church, with the Lord's Supper as an integral part of the meal.
Children are welcome at this celebration; indeed they are an important part of it.
Good Friday 9th April
10.00 Family Service A service for the whole church family, reminding us of the Passion of Jesus - his suffering and death on the cross. Children are welcome; they will be involved in telling the story.
12.00 -15.00 Good Friday Meditation.
Come and go as you feel appropriate.
Different people will lead times of prayer and meditation throughout the afternoon.
If you would like to help lead one of the sessions, sign up on the sheet in Church on Palm Sunday.
Easter Eve Saturday 10th April.
Easter Communion with Easter fire, Eucharist, and buffet afterwards. Another chance to worship with our sister church here in Switzerland, this time at La Chaux-de-Fonds, in French, and at Göttibach, Thun, in German. This is quite an experience, and quite long, but well worth experiencing. [Further details from Sam or me.]
21.00 La Chaux-de-Fonds, Eglise St-Pierre. (in French)
21.00 Göttibach Thun.
The service starts at the Marienkirche, Göttibach, together with the Roman Catholic congregation, for the lighting of the Easter fire, and then to the Christkathoiische church for the service (in German) and food.
Easter Sunday 11th April. There are two services at St Ursula's!
9.00 Eucharist with traditional hymns, organ music and choral singing.
10.30 'All Age' Eucharist with more contemporary music (mainly guitars and piano). Families with children are welcome at both services (children and adults should be able to worship together on this special festival). There is no separate Junior Church or creche on Easter Sunday.
17.00 Chapelle des Charmettes, Neuchâtel - Easter Eucharist (in English!) I hope you will be able to come to some of our services during Easter. More importantly, I hope you will know the joy of Easter, transforming your lives so that even bad Fridays (or any other day) can be seen to be 'Good' in the light of the resurrection.
Yours in Christ,
Richard Pamplin