Dear friends, Easter stands at the very heart of our faith—not simply as a cherished tradition, but as the moment that changes everything. The resurrection of Jesus is not just a remarkable event from the past; it is a living reality that continues to shape our lives today in ways both profound and personal. On Good Friday, it seemed that hope itself had been extinguished. Fear, grief, and confusion filled the hearts of the disciples. Yet, on Easter morning, everything was transformed. The empty tomb declared that death does not have the final word. Love is stronger than hatred. Life is stronger than death. The resurrection is astonishing not only because it happened, but because of what it means. It tells us that God is not distant from human suffering but enters into it fully—and then overcomes it. It assures us that no situation is beyond redemption, no life beyond renewal. In our everyday lives, we may not always feel victorious. We carry so many worries, losses, and uncertainties. Yet Easter speaks directly into these realities. It reminds us that even in the darkest moments, God is at work bringing new life. Sometimes that new life appears quietly—in forgiveness offered, hope rekindled, courage found, or love shared when it would be easier to turn away. The resurrection also calls us to be people of hope in the world. As a church community, we are invited to live out the Easter message—not only in what we believe, but in how we act. Every act of kindness, every stand for justice, every moment of compassion becomes a sign of resurrection life breaking into the present. This Easter, may we not only celebrate what God has done, but also open our hearts to what God is still doing among us. The risen Christ meets us where we are and leads us forward with hope. May the joy and power of the resurrection fill your hearts and homes this season. With love, prayers and every blessing, Christina
As an enthusiastic and lifelong walker (I can still remember my first ascent of Zimbabwe’s highest mountain, Mt Inyangani in the Inyanga Mountains in the east of the country, at the tender age of about 8 or 9 – not to mention many walks with school friends through the bush around our village, where we would dare each other to lie between the railway tracks as the train to Salisbury/Harare passed over – do not, repeat, do not attempt this!) the hymn I would choose for walkers, professional or otherwise, would certainly be “One more step along the world I go”. As Christina mentioned last month, Lent is a journey which we all take in whatever way is best/most appropriate for us, accompanied by prayer, reflection and fasting, and encouraged by the services and devotions of the Church. To help us on our Lenten journeys this year, we will be holding weekly services of Compline, with prayer and reflection, followed by a discussion group where we can think and talk about the pillars/signposts of our faith as Christians. Like some of yourselves I can look back on decades of Christian journeying and all sorts of adventures and happenings along the way – but I still come to each Lent with fresh eyes and an open heart, trying to put myself wholly at God’s disposal, and hoping to draw new strength and encouragement for the journey ahead. One of my other favourite hymns on the theme of journeying is “Lead, kindly light” by John Henry Newman, one of whose lines is especially relevant for walkers, in Lent or at any time: “Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me”. Through Christ’s death and resurrection we are able of course to “....see the distant scene....” but we are still on our way there in this life, one step at a time and, as walkers everywhere, we need guidance and assistance along the way, from God and from one another in our daily lives, filled as they are with all sorts of issues and challenges. And so my wish, and prayer, for us all is a fruitful, positive and holy Lenten journey in which we are kept “...ever constant by our Saviour’s side, that with Him we may appear at th’eternal Eastertide” (Forty days and forty nights). May God bless us all in this holy season of Lent. The Revd Alec Brown.
Dear friends, February is a month of gentle turning. The days are still short, and winter has not yet released its grip, but there is a change in the air. Snowdrops push through cold soil, birds begin to rehearse their songs, and light lingers a little longer in the evening. Creation itself seems to whisper that something new is on the way. At the start of the month we celebrate Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. It marks the end of the Christmas season and brings us back to that quiet, holy moment when Mary and Joseph carry the infant Jesus into God’s house. There, Simeon takes the child in his arms and proclaims him to be “a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.” Candlemas is a feast of light. We bless candles not simply as useful objects, but as signs of Christ, the Light of the world. In a season when darkness can still feel close at hand, this feast reminds us that God’s light is already among us—small enough to be held, yet powerful enough to change everything. But Candlemas also carries a note of shadow. Simeon speaks of struggle as well as salvation. The light that has come into the world will be resisted. The child will grow into a man who walks the road of sacrifice. And so, almost without our noticing, the Church begins to turn its face towards Lent. Later in the month, Ash Wednesday will mark the start of that holy season. Lent invites us to walk with Christ into the wilderness: to be honest about our frailty, to let go of what distracts us, and to make space for God to renew us. It is not a gloomy journey, but a truthful one. We remember that we are dust, yet also that we are dearly loved. There is something deeply human about this movement from Candlemas to Lent—from light held in our hands to ashes traced on our foreheads. It mirrors our own lives. We carry hope and weakness together. We know joy and struggle side by side. And in both, God is present. As February unfolds, I invite you to hold these two themes together: The light of Christ that has come into the world and will not be overcome. And the honest, healing work of Lent that prepares our hearts to receive that light more fully. Whether you are able to join us in church often, only occasionally, or never, know that you are part of this journey. You are held in our prayers, and in the love of God who walks with us through every season. May Christ, the true light, shine in your homes and in your hearts. And may this coming Lent be for each of us a time not of burden, but of blessing. With love, prayers and blessings Christina
From the Vicar Writing this in the middle of December, it’s almost impossible to know just what the New Year will bring with it! Apart perhaps from some wintry weather..............but some calm and peaceful snow may just be what we all need after Storm Bram! As can be seen from the diary dates, we are planning for a number of different services and events during the course of January, including School Christingle Services, Plough Services, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and......a visit from all three Bishops to the Deanery over a two day period – do not be afraid.........! I have been charged with the task of leading them all on a “shortish” walk around parts of the Deanery, and they will be visiting parishes, churches, schools and anything else we can find to show them something of the life and work and witness of our Deanery which is, of course, a very varied group of parishes, from Latchford on the edge of Warrington to us on the edge of Northwich – a real mixture of urban, suburban and rural parishes. There are also a number of baptisms planned for January and early February, and it will be lovely to be welcoming children into the Christian faith and the family of the Church in the New Year, to begin what we all pray will be lifelong journeys of faith. There will also be lots going on with regard to the Church itself – with formal applications for a number of varied jobs in and around the building, including stonework re-pointing and renewal, work on the roof, inside the Tower and to the floor tiles in the nave and aisles – all very necessary and funded through the hard work of the Restoration Committee and the generosity of so many people within and beyond the Parish. We will also be looking at the annual accounts for 2025 – and more about this in the coming months! By the time you will be reading this, the busyness, excitement and joy of Christmas will have passed, and a new year will be fast approaching – let us all resolve to grasp it with both hands and to make of it the best we can, with every opportunity or challenge and, like the three Wisemen whose visit to the Christ Child we will be celebrating at Epiphany, let us bow in reverence and praise, and offer our gifts and talents in the service of our Lord and Saviour. I finish with one of the most profound and meaningful lines from that most beautiful carol “In the bleak mid-winter”: What can I give Him, Poor as I am? Yet what I can I give Him - Give my heart.” May God bless each and every one of us in this coming New Year. The Revd Alec Brown.
