Good Friday

And another busy day (Holy Week is the most important in the Christian calendar, much more so than Christmas). More of us than ever gathered by the entrance to Tesco supermarket in Tiptree at 11am to sing for half an hour or so. For our efforts we got people stopping by to listen, including children with their parents, some applause, and a cup of tea and a hot cross bun from the Tesco staff. It’s always good to have a sing!

My friend Linda and I then sauntered around the shops in the village (not a hugely time-consuming exercise). We had a look in the new home interiors shop which has just opened where the old Euronics showroom used to be. They had some lovely things in there at reasonable prices. It’s not a chain, and is apparently run by a local lady. I wish her luck. Then we rummaged around in the two charity shops. Linda bought a bag, and I found a top which was brand new and just my style. It still had its original label on (£25, but I got it for £7.99). You have to look often to get such bargains, but they can still be had.

At 1pm we had Stations of the Cross in St Luke’s, walking along through the painful, humiliating and unbearable journey of Jesus to his death on the cross. Again, there were more people than have come in previous years. I feel that, in these worrying and uncertain times, many are reaching out for some reassurance, kindness and humanity - all of which they will receive from my church, where we make everyone feel very welcome.

Next, the children and their parents joined us from Messy Church next door, where they had been making a model garden complete with real plants, little animal figures and an empty cave tomb with stone rolled back beside it. We had a half-hour family service with songs and I did a reading for them, then we went back into the hall for a cuppa, hot cross bun and rice crispy nests with mini eggs.

I noticed the front lawn was sprinkled with little wild violets when I got home, and this was the only photo I had time to take. What a lot of standing I did all day! My back was in agony, but I don’t mind - it’s been an amazing week so far, with the Easter Vigil & Service of Light to come on Saturday evening (complete with Easter bonfire, which usually has some hitch or other to make things a bit too exciting), and then the joy of Easter Sunday itself. I’ll be spending the day after the service with my family over on Mersea Island.

Hopefully, I will be able to just chill and catch up properly with my blip journal entries on Monday.