Dear Friends,

In a week when the Catholic Church announced the new Pope, my attention was drawn to this week’s reading in Acts that tells of Peter, miraculously raising Tabitha from the dead.

I was immediately struck by how far Peter had come in his life and mused on how often he might have thought the same.
Humble beginnings, a fisherman called Simon, one might imagine tough and hardworking, an all-in kind of guy, yet his story also tells us he had moments of weakness, impulsiveness and vulnerability…and yet, Jesus chose him, named him Peter, ‘rock’.
A new name, a new purpose, a new future. That’s a lot of change in this one man’s life.

I wonder then about our own life journeys. How our upbringing, family, education, relationships, life experiences shape us. How faith melds this together, refines these experiences in a way and then changes us, our purpose and our future.
I wonder how your faith has changed you? How will faith change the future you?

Do you have any ‘stepping out in faith’ moments? When looking back you think how did that happen! A moment or direction of travel perhaps, shaped and fuelled by the Holy Spirit?
I get a sense, with a new vicar joining us soon, new vicar posts being filled locally and the deanery’s commitment to children families and young people, that a new energy, inspiration and focus is starting. Pentecost vibes for sure.

So I wonder dear reader, are we ready to embrace what is heading our way…change? Are we ready to step out in faith? To step up and be the Easter people that we are called to be and embrace the opportunity’s the spirit reveals to us?

As Lance Corporal Jones said ‘Don’t panic!’ I know not all of us feel comfortable with change. But know that the spirit will, I believe, fit us for the road ahead.
With God, all will be well.
We are and will not be alone.

Love,

Julia

Julia Jones, Churchwarden

Dear Friends,

Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed. Alleluia! We have glimpsed the Light and Joy of the Resurrection in our worship these last two weeks.

Another glimpse was experienced last Monday, as the group who had been looking at the Nicene Creed completed the Lent course reflecting on the phrase, “We look for the Resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come” with a passage of Scripture from Revelation 7: 9-11

Now we are invited in our readings this Sunday to see the consequences of the Resurrection from a heavenly and earthly point of view. Firstly, in Revelation we see through the eyes of the visionary the ecstatic and eternal welcome to the triumphant Lamb of God, who has proved worthy of all honour, glory and praise through his total sacrifice and loving obedience. Secondly, from an earthly point of view, we have the disciples going back to the safe place they came from ‘fishing for fish’. As Jesus sets up his breakfast on the beach, he gives his friends he loves the opportunity to discover and recognise him.

Then our story in the Acts of the Apostles is Saul experiencing Jesus presence on the road to Damascus.

Are we, as we go about our daily living able to glimpse the Risen Lord in order that we too can commit or recommit our lives to Him? How do we respond to the question he poses to us, “Do you Love me?”

May we continue to be filled with the Light and Joy of Easter in worship, celebrating the May Bank Holiday and remembering and celebrating VE Day on Thursday.

In Christ,

Daphne

Daphne Cook , LLM

Dear Friends,

Easter Greetings from the Isle of Wight. As usual, we have spent the Easter weekend here, so missed celebrating with you*. The island is one of those “thin” places for me, where heaven and earth seem to be close. Lots of walks, being by the sea, time with family – it refreshes me, body and soul.

At the Easter service I attended (11th Century church, very different), the vicar reminded us that the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead is alive in us. That really stopped me in my tracks. How awesome. The late Pope Francis (may he rest in peace and rise in glory) described a “.. a spark of divine light” in all of us. We may not always feel it, but it’s there.

Let’s go forward, holding on to that Easter spark of light, allowing it to grow and spread out into the world.

Every blessing,

Wendy

* as did those who tried to join online. Apologies. Technical difficulties meant that we didn’t stream to YouTube last week. We are doing our best to put things right. We have a plan B so if we don’t find out the problem, we will provide a Zoom link for you to join live.

Dear Friends,

We gather this Sunday to experience again all that unfolded on the
first Palm Sunday when Jesus rode in triumph upon a donkey into Jerusalem.

Then we have different services on offer in the days of this coming week, namely Holy Week. All are welcome to accompany us as we journey to the Cross with Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

I’m often asked ‘But why is Good Friday called good, when it is the day that Jesus died?’ Some explain that Good is a corruption of God’s Friday or that good simply means holy. But I think the goodness of this day is found in the meaning of Jesus’ death. The cross is the clearest expression of God’s love for us: as Jesus said, ‘no one has greater love than this; to lay down their life for their friends’ (John 15:13). At the cross, we know our sins are forgiven, we see God’s amazing grace, we witness God’s amazing love for us and the world. In the darkness of that awful day, God’s love shines brightly.

Whilst these events have a very different tone, and the cross can feel like such a dark place, it’s only when we face it, that we can discover the amazing Good and Love that it holds, and the full joy of Easter be discovered.

So may we all accept the invitation to make or remake the discovery of the amazing Good and Love of God at work in each one of us.

In Christ,

Daphne

Daphne Cook, LLM

Dear friends,

This Sunday, after the 10 o’clock service, we’ll be holding our Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) where we elect church officials, reflect on the past year and have the chance to ask questions about the church. You will have received the information booklet, and a Zoom link in case you want to join online.

I’ve been thinking about what it means to be a parish church, right here, right now. I came across the following verses:

I will put my dwelling place among you… I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. (Leviticus 26, 11-12).

St Nicolas is located among the people of Earley. We are God’s people, and we walk in our community. You could say we’ll be open to God, open to one another and open to the community. It usually comes back to this, doesn’t it?

I hope to see you at the APCM, either in person or online. If you can’t make it, please get in touch with any questions.

Wendy

Wendy Neale
Churchwarden