It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming!

That was the title of a sermon by Tony Campolo some years ago. Our Easter weekend has been amazing…

First there was more ‘footing the ladder’

Bob and David hung two massive gold foil curtains either side of the cross at the front of the church. This was for the Good Friday Service. For our ‘Churches Together’ united event, Bob felt we should have a ‘Tenebrae’ service. The distinctive ceremony of Tenebrae is the gradual extinguishing of candles, leaving the church in darkness – symbolic of the darkness surrounding the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Not very easy to do when the service is at 2pm in the afternoon! Hence the curtains, illuminated by Bob’s stage lighting rig. Throughout the service, the lights were gradually dimmed – and by 3pm, it was noticeably gloomier.

I found it all very moving.

Also in the afternoon, Hayley and her team were downstairs, running a Good Friday Club for the children. They did some great crafts, including two crosses, which decorated the church on Easter morning.

[If you look carefully, you can see the first says ‘Jesus’ and the other is made of handprints]

Saturday, Barbara and her helpers decorated the church with baskets of flowers [these will be distributed to sick and housebound friends]

We were at church early this morning for Easter communion, then we shared breakfast. Thank you Janet, David and co, for making it look so welcoming – and cooking kippers, eggs, porridge and more!

Sunday morning was a great celebration of the resurrection. Bob made a fountain in church, with Mentos and Cola! This required much preparation [and one very anxious wife fretting about the new church carpet] I took no pictures during worship – but here are the experiments in the garden beforehand.[scientific explanation here]

Are you ready? Here we go, 2 litres of coke, two Mentos…

Now we try with three Mentos

Yes, that is spectacular enough for the service!

Do you know what our minister did in church on Easter morning? He produced a fountain over three feet high with coke and mints! It was amazing…

Even more amazing, that FIRST Easter, Jesus burst out of the tomb – alive again, death conquered…

Don’t just tell people about the uncontainable fizz – tell them that the tomb could not contain the Saviour – that’s the really important message of Easter!

Bob took a basket of eggs to share with everyone afterwards

This evening, friends from Hucknall came to share this…

Ben, Vanessa and the others from Seymour Road Baptist, arrived early and set up all their gear. The evening was indeed full of lights, music and drama – telling the Easter story, particularly from the point of view of Judas. It was challenging and thought-provoking, and we were grateful to these young people for bringing this to us.

 

We ended the service with the hymn “In Christ Alone” [which we’d also sung in the morning.]

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

I pray that your Easter has been full of joy and hope too!