Winchelsea Parish Church 

Dear Friends

Easter is only a few days away. It is a celebration of freedom and joy for all people.

As the Church recites in part of its daily act of worship (The Divine Office) the Benedictus when God promised that “we, being freed from fear and the hands of our enemies might serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life in his presense” That really is a cause for joy.

Without suggesting that we should go around with silly grins on our faces there ought to be a lightness of step about Christians because we know that the ultimate triumph over sin and death has been won.

As a rather sharp 19th Century preacher once said when confronted by a particularly gloomy congregation “you have been redeemed, you might at least look a little more forgiven”.

Paradoxically however we can only appreciate fully the joy of the gospel if we are conscious of the other side of human life and from what we have been delivered.

All Christians should make opportunities from time to time to consider how faithfully they have lived as disciples of Jesus Christ, how joyfully they have witnessed to him and kept his commandment and, when they have fallen received His forgiveness - Lent/Easter is, of course, the most obvious time for all of this.

It is not always easy to be a Christian; life can overwhelm us, the tragedies, difficulties, boredom of worship, the irrelevancies of sermons or the maunderings of ‘from the Rector’s desk’ etc. can, in one way or another, lead us to give up the practice of worship and faith. Don’t think you are unique - even one of St. Paul’s friends....’deserted (me) for love of this life’. If this is you then Lent/Easter is a time for you to think about what the cross and resurrection mean and how you might respond.

Life is not easy - but think about how Jesus’ life, death and resurrection can meaningfully be applied to your situation.

                                                                                            Howard Cocks