At the time of writing this it’s Good Friday, and what a different day and Easter weekend it will have been for us all this year. We’re listening to radio a lot more and gathering virtually and spiritually together with friends and family via video calls, emails, phone calls, and prayer. 

There’s something reassuring and rather special knowing that you are reading, watching, listening, or praising at the same time as others throughout the world. The community clap each Thursday evening at 8pm to show our appreciation to the NHS, carers and many support workers has provided a real sense of community spirit and strength. It’s also lovely being able to catch up across the road regularly with our neighbours, from our respective driveways, and share in this united caring act. We are truly in this together.

One of our neighbours is a volunteer nurse and another is working with the fire brigade. It is hard to truly imagine what each of their days are like and just how challenging their duties and responsibilities are, both physically and emotionally.

Whatever challenges we are faced with we will not be challenged beyond what we can cope with. “Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

On Good Friday in particular we remember the physical and emotional torment and suffering of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, Wonderful Counsellor, Prince of Peace, King of Kings, the Servant King as he bore the cross to save our lives. He came not to be served but to serve. To fulfil Gods will. The greatest expression of love and grace for each of us. The events of Easter weekend are both a witness and evidence for us today that death, once and for all, has been defeated. It is finished! 

Keep looking out for each other, especially those who live alone, we all need each other. Our prayer is that we will all emerge out of this challenging time stronger and more united in love and peace, and filled with God’s grace in all we say and do.

Keep safe and well.

BBC Broadcasts Over Easter Weekend 2020

Either specifically Christian, or at least ‘religious’. Details supplied by Church Times


HIGHLIGHT: 
Rebuilding Notre-Dame: Inside the great cathedral rescue 
A year after the fire, archi­­tects and scientists tell their restoration strategy. 
Wednesday 9pm BBC4

TELEVISION: 
Friday 1.40pm and Sunday 1.50pm (BBC1) 
Alexander Armstrong’s Heavenly Gardens 
A visit to six gardens steeped in faith and spirituality, starting at Pluscarden Abbey, near Elgin, and con­tinuing to the Bishop’s Palace, Wells (1/2-2).

Friday 7pm (Channel 5) 
Digging Up Britain’s Past: Viking invasion: 
Archaeologists try to locate the site of a monastery on Holy Island (1/6).

9pm (BBC2) 
Pilgrimage: The road to Istanbul 
The seven pilgrims visit an orthodox church in Batak, and the Suleymaniye Mosque, in Istanbul (3/3).

Saturday 12pm (BBC2) 
The Greatest Story Ever Told 
The 1965 biblical epic starring Max von Sydow.

7pm (BBC2) 
Easter from King’s 
A service of music and readings from King’s College, Cambridge.

Sunday 11am (BBC1) 
Urbi et Orbi Pope Francis de­­livers his Easter message and blessing, live.

11.25am (BBC1) 
Sunday Worship From Bangor Cathedral, with music from Songs of Praise, 2018.

1.15pm (BBC1) 
Songs of Praise Katherine Jenkins visits St Luke’s, Gas Street, in Birm­ingham.

1.40pm (Channel 5) 
The Ten Commandments The 1956 film.

Wednesday 7pm (Nat Geographic) 
Saving Notre-Dame The rebuilding of the Gothic cathedral.

RADIO: 
Thursday and Friday 9.45am (R4 FM) 
The Passion in Plants Bob Gilbert concludes his pilgrimage (4-5/5).

Friday 1.30pm (World Service) 
Heart and Soul Wassim Razzouk’s family have been tattoo­ing pilgrims to Jerusalem for more than 500 years.

2pm (R3) 
Afternoon Concert 
An archive recording of Bach’s St John Passion sung in German, first broadcast in April 2017.

3pm (R4) 
Good Friday Meditation 
A Baptist min­ister, the Revd Richard Littledale, reflects on why Christians see beauty and love in the Cross.

7pm (R3) 
Radio 3 in Concert 
An archive recording of a semi-staged performance of Bach’s St Mat­thew Passion, first broadcast in September 2014.

7pm (R2) 
At the Foot of the Cross 
The Passion written and narrated by Frank Cottrell-Boyce.

Sunday 6.35am (R4) 
Sunrise Service Celebration with music from a gospel group.

8.10am (R4) 
Easter Sunday Worship 
The Arch­­bishop of Canterbury leads an intimate com­munion service with his wife in Lambeth Palace.

1.30pm (R4) 
Three Vicars Talking 
The Revd Richard Coles, the Revd Kate Bottley, and Canon Giles Fraser in an Easter special.

3pm (R3) 
Choral Evensong 
An archive recording of festal evensong from Norwich Cathedral, first broadcast on 16 April 2017.

5.30pm (R3) 
Words and Music 
A celebration of the Passover, Easter, and Spring.

Monday 4.30pm (R4) 
Beyond Belief 
Can faith values help people and religious organisations to invest their money in a way that matches their ethics?

Wednesday 3.30pm (R3) 
Choral Evensong 
An archive recording of a service from the Church of the Incarnation, Dallas, Texas, first broadcast on 19 April 2017.

Plus other material will also be available on BBC local radio.

Yours in Christ. May God bless you and keep you safe.

Mike

When Jesus was crucified the gospels share the use of the phase that the disciples who were brave enough to be there ‘stood at a distance’. Perhaps they stood at a distance out horror at what they were witnessing, distance made it more bearable. Perhaps they stood at a distance out of fear of identifying themselves with Jesus, they didn’t want to risk being picked out, arrested, and possibly sharing the same fate as Jesus. Perhaps they stood at a distance because the Roman soldiers pushed them back, forcibly separating them from Jesus. For whatever reason, they stood at a distance, and Jesus suffered alone, isolated. The words speak powerfully into our present separated human condition.

But in John’s gospel there is an opposite glimmer of community restoration. Jesus looks out at his disciples from the cross. He calls to Mary his mother, and to John. He says: “Woman, here is your son.” And he says: “Here is your mother.” And it continues: ‘From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.’ Jesus loves his mother, and in his ultimate distress Jesus tenderly puts her into the care of another. Jesus leads us by his example. Jesus models for us how to create communities of care, and households of love and commitment.

For most of us, many of our loving human relationships are separated by coronavirus separation restrictions. If we love people, then we keep apart from them. But for a few of us, we are discovering deeper and closer connections of love and commitment within our households of care. There are wonderful pictures of residents and carers in Nursing Homes on the TV, they know that they are in it together, they have become committed to one another. I also read the heart-warming stories of zoo keepers moving into on-site accommodation so that they can spend the isolation period close to the animals in their care.

Yours in Christ. May God bless you and keep you safe.

Mike

At time of writing this, more and more restrictions are being advised daily to protect the vulnerable and strategically delay and cope with the Coronavirus pandemic. It all feels very surreal. Each one of us will know someone who is in the at high risk category, either through age or from having underlying health conditions; friends and family who have had their long awaited holiday cancelled; parents with children now at home from school; places of work closing; places of worship closing; people adjusting to working remotely; empty shelves in store… the uncertainty is causing a lot of anxiety and distress.

However we’re all in this together, throughout the entire world, and even though we face daily set backs there is also a strong sense of community emerging. And of course the British spirit of people rallying together. ‘Cup of tea anyone?’

Although the phrase “I’ll put the kettle on” is somewhat stereotypically British there is something very homely and welcoming about those words. A moment of normality and bliss amidst our current turmoil. A time for our thoughts. Muster our strength, courage and determination to face whatever the next challenge may be.

It’s important for us to remember that through challenging times of uncertainty, no matter how dark things may get, God is working out His purpose for good.

“And we know that in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good, with those who have been called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28

He has a wonderful way of turning things round for the better. Everywhere you look you’ll find good deeds being done; kind words being said, cheerful smile, neighbours checking in with one another, running errands for each other, looking out for one other, being there to answer a call for help. If we could keep this community feel and focus on what’s truly important in life, long after this outbreak is over, how much better would our planet be? Good things will come.

Let’s resolve to focus on the things we can do. The decisions and actions we have control over. The little things we can do each day that adds a moment of normality and balance. Why not turn on your favourite piece of music. Bake a cake. Pick a posy of flowers. Listen to the birds singing. Call a friend for a catch up. Check in on your neighbour. Take up a new hobby (or pick up an old one again). Open a window to let in fresh air. Make that cup of tea. Pray for each other. Small actions, words and deeds no matter how small can spread a little piece of joy and hope.

Keep safe and look out for each other.