The Superintendent’s Letter

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Easter edition of Memo. Once again we read the familiar stories of the

cross and the empty tomb and we join with Christians around the world in celebrating the

most important festival in the Christian year. I love to read the gospel accounts of

resurrection. It is easy for us because we know the end of the story, but the initial reaction

of those witnesses who first encountered the risen Christ is one of confusion and fear.

Fear is a natural reaction to things we don’t understand. In Matthew’s gospel, the women go to the tomb to grieve, expecting everything to be in order, but when they get there they find a chaotic scene. The tomb is open, the stone is rolled away and the guards are shaking with fear. No wonder the women are afraid. At the heart of it all is a heavenly being with a message, ‘do not be afraid’. In a sense the gospel has come full circle. It began with God’s message to Joseph about not being afraid to take Mary as his wife, for God’s plans are about to be fulfilled in the baby. It ends with the same reassurance that God’s plans are still being fulfilled, not just in the lifetime of the baby, but to the end of time.

It is a wonderful and very timely message for us to hear as well. Back in our October

Church Council at Stainton a very difficult decision had to be made. After much

consideration, the Church Council voted unanimously to ‘Cease to Meet’ as a Church. It

was a tearful conclusion to an ongoing conversation, but through the tears we could trace

the hand of God guiding us. God has been working his purposes out through the chapel at

Stainton and he will continue to work his purposes out in that village and in the world to the end of time. The chapel may close (Subject to the permission of Circuit Meeting and

Synod) and say that it’s purpose is fulfilled, but God’s healing and reconciling work will

continue. This is the message of Easter after all. ‘Do not be afraid’, for death and loss are

not the end of the story.

Sometimes in the muddle of 21st century living, we become confused and fearful. It is

good to hear that message ‘do not be afraid’ and to know that even through the fog of doubt and uncertainty which sometimes pervades our lives, God’s plans are still being fulfilled.

Resurrection is an important sign of that fulfilment and in Christ, God has given us a

foretaste of what is to come when all creation will be made anew. Even now resurrection

still breaks into our ordinary lives. We see God at work in the world when lives are

transformed by Christ and when acts of love and service are done in his name. In Christ

even the bleakest situation can be turned around through his transforming resurrection

power.

And so I invite you to come and explore the resurrection hope with us this Easter time.

None of our circuit churches claim to have all the answers, but we try to learn from Christ

and allow his teaching and his risen presence to shape our lives. We gather around his

Resurrection story because in it we find hope for ourselves and for our world.

May you receive every blessing in Christ in this Easter season.

Revd. David Godfrey