Easter 2025

 The link for this week's live-streamed service is here

Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed, Hallelujah!

We began our early morning service at Cy Hampson park with that rousing declaration. There was a forecast of rain and the day began in cloud, then the sun broke through. 

The little bird came to sing to us again, although from a different tree this time. 

There is something special about that outdoor service at the beginning of Easter Sunday -- an uplift of the spirit as we stand beside the ocean, surrounded by the beauty and wonder of God's creation; a sense of rejoicing as we imagine the followers of Jesus running with the news that the tomb was empty and Christ had risen from the dead. 

Before heading back to the church and breakfast, I took our usual Easter photograph. There are two posted here. Try if you can spot the difference. 

On thing you may notice is that some of the "usuals" are missing, Jim among them. As explanation, he sent along this post with his greetings.

🕂🕂🕂🕂🕂

Easter is a special time for me. Not only is it the anniversary of Christ dying on the cross but Easter eggs. Growing up in England prior to coming to Canada at 10 years old in November 1958, there was always an Easter egg hunt at home. Then it was off to church at St. Jude's. In September 2023, I returned to St. Jude's church for a service and had the opportunity to tell the congregation how my Grandfather had helped save the church after it was firebombed in January 1941 by the Germans.

My own children, Robert and Kirsten, growing up in Brampton also enjoyed the Easter egg hunt. Some Easters we took a road trip. One particular Easter when they were small, we stayed in Baltimore and my wife Lorna hid Easter goodies all around the hotel room.

On another trip in Virginia, tragedy was averted on Good Friday. We were on our way to Washington, DC from a picnic in the mountains of Virginia, when the brakes failed on our brand new Pontiac SUV. I was able to bring the car to a stop. We were in Charlottesville, Virgina and, on Good Friday, all businesses are closed from noon until 3 PM. Just around 3 PM we got the car to a Chev dealer who got us to the Pontiac dealer by putting brake fluid into a broken part. Here they gave us the bad news. They had to get a new part from the GM plant in Baltimore - next week. Then kindness stepped in. The owner of the dealership had a mechanic take the part off a new car and use it to replace the faulty one on ours. They closed at 6 PM but stayed a little longer and we were off to Washington, DC for another Easter egg hunt there.

My wife Lorna and myself spent our first Easter at Saanich Presbyterian Church on April 9, 2023. We came to Sidney from Halton Hills where we attended Boston Presbyterian which is over 200 years old.

Of course we went to the sunrise service at Cy Hampson park. It was a treat to sing the hyms accompanied by our minister, Irwin Cunningham, on his guitar. Great talent. We returned to the church for breakfast and the 10 am service. We repeated this last Easter but this year we are away, off on another adventure taking the train to San Francisco and Seattle. We'll meet up with my old friend Nick and his wife from Portsmouth, England. He and I went to St. Jude's School and church together 70 years ago.

We wish you all a HAPPY EASTER. Jim and Lorna