Dear Friends,
“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 1:3
April is one of those beautiful months when the countryside reminds us that life begins again. The hedgerows soften with green; daffodils nod in the breeze; and in the fields around our villages, the lambs are beginning to appear. If you pause for a moment on a country lane, you may hear them calling across the fields—a sure sign that spring has truly arrived.
It is a season that speaks deeply of the message of Easter. At the heart of the Christian faith is the promise of new birth and living hope. The resurrection of Jesus reminds us that life can emerge where we least expect it. Just as the earth wakes after winter, God continues to bring renewal and hope into our lives.
And yet we are very aware that the wider world is far from peaceful. We continue to watch the war unfolding with Iran bringing further anxiety and uncertainty across the globe. The Ukraine War still rumbles on, seemingly forgotten for a while but sadly it still persists. These conflicts also ripple into our everyday lives. Rising oil prices linked to the war with Iran have already begun pushing up fuel prices and adding pressure to the cost of living here in the UK. So, we are not immune from such shocks in the world order. Even small things we take for granted feel affected—whether it is the price of filling the car or even the cost of the Easter chocolate we might share with family. That said, the Easter Egg campaign from our churches, at last count, made sure that over 140 children in The Ukraine will receive a chocolate egg this year via our partner charity, Teams4U. Easter tells us that darkness never has the final word.
Later in the month we celebrate St George’s Day on 23rd April. The story of St George reminds us that courage and faith can overcome fear and evil. It is a legend, of course, but its message is timeless: good can prevail, and faith gives us strength to stand for what is right. By the mid-April, our schools will be returning after the Easter holidays, bringing with them the energy and life of a new term. Spring always feels like a fresh start for families, schools and communities alike.
In Powick, we are also looking forward to a special event in St Peter’s Church on the weekend of 25th–26th April: “A Parish Wedding”, an exhibition of wedding dresses and photographs from across the decades. Alongside the dresses and mementos, there will be stalls, refreshments and a children’s trail. It will be a lovely opportunity for the community to gather, share memories, and celebrate the joy of marriage.
It also comes at the start of our wedding season in church. Weddings are wonderful moments when people promise love and faithfulness in the presence of God and their community. In a world that often feels uncertain, such promises are powerful signs of hope.
It is also the time of year when the Churches prepare their Annual Reports and hold parish meetings to share the works of your church in the year ending 31st December 2025. It is also a time of elections to the Church Council and the Deanery Synod: do consider standing if you feel you can help your Church have a voice in your village communities, and within the wider Church.
As spring unfolds around us: with lambs in the fields, children returning to school, and weddings being planned— and who knows new people joining our churches to help- may we notice the quiet ways God is renewing the world and our lives.
Let us pray:
Lord of the resurrection,
as spring brings new life to the earth,
plant hope in our hearts.
Bring peace to places of war,
wisdom to those who lead nations,
and comfort to all who struggle with worry or rising costs.
Bless our homes, our schools, and our community,
and help us to live as people of Easter hope.
In the name of the risen Christ.
Amen.
A Happy Easter to you and your families. Rev Gary