People gathered together all across our diocese over the weekend to reflect on Jesus' sacrifice and rejoice in his resurrection. Here are a few highlights:

Nelson Cathedral - Graham O'Brien

It was great to journey through the Easter story, culminating in Easter Sunday with over 250 attending the two services held at Nelson Cathedral. Bishop Steve joined us for the 10am service, and we saw over 200 people attend. It was very moving to have the choir and congregation singing with full voice to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The kids went out for an Easter clue hunt around the Cathedral. Bishop Steve’s sermon focused on Mary, the was the first to arrive at the tomb seeking Jesus, seeing Jesus, and sharing the good news of the resurrection. At the end of the sermon, Steve invited those who came seeking Jesus for the first time to raise their hand, and six responded.

Victory Church - Laura Fear

We commemorated Good Friday a little differently this year at Victory Church. We gathered on Friday morning to journey through our interpretation of the Stations of the Cross.
Departing slightly from the traditional stations, we began with Palm Sunday, journeying through Jesus' last days until he appeared to the women outside the empty tomb. Each "station" was set up in its own space in the church and included a creative installation and scripture, and asked us to respond by writing, praying, reflecting, creating, or sharing with others. It was a special time of remembering for us as a community, our hope was that we would be able to experience these familiar gospel stories with fresh eyes, and Jesus would reveal himself in new ways, as we imagined what it might have been like to see Jesus enter Jerusalem on a donkey, what would we say when we saw him? We prayed together in the garden of Gethsemane, reflected on the gift of family, given by Jesus in his last hours and recognised the same gift given to us in community, remembered what Jesus did for the thief, and likewise for us, on the cross, and shared with others what He's done for us since.

Cobden Runanga Parish - Tim Mora

God moved powerfully on Easter Sunday. Amy, a former parishioner now living in Darfield, was planning on coming to the Coast to visit her Dad on Easter Monday. Strangely moved by God, she decided to get up early on Sunday at 6am and come in time for our 10:30 service. At the service was a very dear friend who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and back at church after a season away. It was a tearful reunion. The friend with cancer has been on a journey of forgiveness and was back at church after a long absence and said at the end it was the most special Easter service she has been too. The reading for the day was John 14:1-6, “In my Father’s House are many rooms… I am going there to prepare a place for you… I will come back and take you to be with me.” A passage that spoke directly to the friend’s terminal cancer situation as did the sermon for the day. Unusually for Cobden, the intercessions were from the prayer book, using the second form - which again was a favourite of the friend’s. It was like God had orchestrated the various elements of the service to touch the life of the friend who had returned. God is good and still at work today.

Picton Parish - Marie-Jeanette

We gathered early in the morning at the Compass on the foreshore in Picton, near the beach. I organised and led it, but it was a combined event with the other churches in Picton. There was no preaching, but we let the Word speak for itself, as several people read Scripture to us. Songs were accompanied by 3 guitarists from the Catholic Church, and Picton Baptist Church made a BBQ breakfast, which smelled delicious! There were close to 60 people attending (double the number from last year), and there was a very happy atmosphere. The weather forecast had been for rain, but instead it was calm, not too cold, with a beautiful sunrise!