April 2025 Clergy Letter

The past few days have been warm and sunny and as I write this I can hear birds singing and see daffodils, hellebores and hyacinths blooming in the garden. I love the springtime - lambs in the fields, blossom on the trees - signs of new life and hope.

This Lent, many of us have been studying the booklet, “Living Hope” and our sermons have been based around the different themes for each week. A number of Lent study groups have been meeting in different places. I’ve been enjoying meeting at the “Three Horseshoes” in Sambrook. It has meant that several “new” people have joined us – another hopeful sign!

Our journey through Lent has challenged us to recognise signs of hope in our world and in our own circumstances, to trust in God’s faithfulness and in his purposes and to consider how we might bring hope to others. But, of course, this Lenten journey ends on Easter Day in what is surely the most amazing and powerful fulfilment of hope.

As Martha gave voice to her regret and anguish at Jesus’ belated arrival, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother, Lazarus, would not have died.” Jesus responded with words of hope and promise, “ I am the resurrection and the life.” A few days later, Martha, along with Jesus’ frightened disciples, would see those words fulfilled. They would be given new hope, a new perspective on life – and death.

In his first letter, St Peter wrote, “ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” 1 Peter 1 vs 3

This was a man who had once denied he even knew Jesus, who had run away for fear of sharing Jesus’ fate. Yet he was transformed through his experience of meeting with the risen Lord, and through the power of the Holy Spirit at work within him. He experienced the Living Hope, that he went on to share with others – the new life that we can all share.

On Easter Day, Jesus was raised to new life – it was the most momentous day in history. Because Jesus died on the cross and rose again all who put their hope and trust in him are promised forgiveness, a new beginning, a relationship with the living God which continues on into eternity as we share in the promise of resurrection.

This Easter may you share in the joy of this amazing promise and celebrate the Living Hope that is ours through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow; because He lives all fear is gone; because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives! Gloria & William Gaither 1971

Rev Chris Simpson