WHAT A GOOD FRIDAY!

This is probably the first time that I haven’t actually taken the photographs for my Blip, but I’m sure all my friends will understand why.  Mr. HCB has done a great job, and we realise some of the photographs are not that clear, but when you are trying to take them from a distance and with lots of people around, it’s not always easy.

Many of us had prayed for a fine day for the Wroughton Passion Play and God certainly blessed us not only with that, but also with a lot of sunshine and warmth too.

Today was an amazing piece of theatre when we recreated the events of the last week in the life of Jesus - we had done a full rehearsal last night and today was just SUPERB!  It was great to see so many people there to watch - the estimate is about 1,500 - and because there were so many, lots of people were not allowed into the first venue and the re-enactment of the Last Supper in the nearby Catholic Church, the second venue, was done twice, so that everyone could see it.

After the first two scenes we moved up to Moat Walk, which was depicting the Garden of Gethsemane - a very moving experience and the audience really entered into the spirit of that.

The trial scene took place in the car park of The White Hart - and I think it’s fair to say that those people who had thought they were just going out for a beer in the garden and to enjoy the sunshine were very surprised to find all manner of things going on around them.

Then after the scourging of Jesus, it was the long walk up the hill to the Parish Church - following Jesus carrying his cross.  It was standing room only in there, and it took quite a while to get everyone in, before the play  finished with a very moving and poignant scene and the singing of the Requiem : Lacrimosa by Mozart.

Everyone was amazing and I feel so privileged to have been part of this today.  It was great that my husband and older son were there to support me, I had a message from our younger son in Thailand when I woke up, two friends travelled from Cheltenham and it was great to see a fellow Blipper there too, who had travelled from Reading.

Thank you for all your prayers and the support over the last few weeks - it has been difficult at times, but so worth it.

God loved the people of this world so much 
     that he gave his only Son, 
          so that everyone who has faith in him 
               will have eternal life 
                    and never really die.
John 3 : 16 Contemporary English Version