Making The Cross Count

If you are reading this in England or NI, I do hope you went and voted in the council elections on Thursday, and put your cross in the box. 
For centuries, when many ordinary people were illiterate, unable to read or write, people would validate documents by putting a cross on them in lieu of a signature. This was an oath before God - the symbol of which was the cross of Jesus. 

Here are some belated pictures from Church on Easter Sunday. In the 10.30 service, we all queued up to 'make our cross' on a big board at church. 
These were done using elastic bands stretched between nails. The piece demonstrated the impact of Christ's cross on our lives. People made big crosses, small ones, straight, or angled, with different coloured bands - and all overlapping.

It was a great representation of what Jesus has done for us, and how we are bound together in his family.
Here's Bob showing the colourful result and explaining the importance of Jesus' death and resurrection.
Easter Sunday was brilliant
We began with an early morning service and it was such a lovely day we celebrated the resurrection out in the church Garden. 
More people arrived after I took this photo - but here we are singing our first hymn

After that we all went inside for toast, bacon rolls and other refreshments, prepared by Alison and Steve.
During the service, Alison was busy again, leading the choir who sang two beautiful pieces

The week before, on Palm Sunday, I was responsible for the children at church, and we made a Hosanna Banner.  Attendance was down [it was the school holidays and families were away] but the young children decorated the letters and stuck the palm leaves up to make a colourful display.

We are really blessed to be in a church which has all ages from new babies, to others in their 90s.
Because we went out so early, I didn't hear the news about Sri Lanka till midday. I was so saddened by the reports. I have no direct links to that beautiful island, but many of my friends have family members living there. The story is noongdr headline news, but we continue to pray for peace.