PASTORAL LETTER

Happy Easter!

This year Easter Day coincides with the start of British Summer Time. That's not a prediction of the weather, of course, but the evenings suddenly become lighter and the daylight hours seem much longer. What a wonderful reminder of the light of hope that Christ's resurrection has brought to each of us and to the world!

There is a lot of darkness in the news of world events at the moment and it is easy to let that get you down. But in our magazine I shared a prayer for Haiti, which quotes Luke 18 v 27: "What is impossible for people is possible for God." Nothing demonstrates that fact more powerfully than the resurrection of Jesus.

We are called to be Easter people, who believe in the power of God to bring life and hope into even the darkest of situations. We need to keep praying in faith and looking for signs of resurrection. The early Christians faced a lot of opposition and persecution but Paul advised them to "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5 v 16-18.) Thanksgiving is the key to praying in faith.

It's helpful to have a few Bible verses that you find particularly encouraging written down somewhere where you can see them – maybe on a bookmark in your Bible or stuck on the wall or mirror. If you can memorise them too, you will be able to take them with you wherever you go. The word of God is true and we can trust God to act according to it.

Do you have a favourite Bible verse? Our friends at Peasley Cross URC are making a booklet of people's favourite Bible verses and would like us to contribute. It would be great if you would write yours down, with a sentence to explain your choice, and email it to me at tollbarwithprescot@gmail.com by the end of April, and I will send it to Peasley Cross for you.

God bless and shield you and keep you in his peace.

Diane