LIVING IN THE LIGHT OF THE RESURRECTION
This month, we journey through the Season of Easter. A season which lasts for 50 days, beginning on Easter Sunday and culminating on Pentecost Sunday. At our last Leeds URC Partnership Quiet Day, we explored the theme: ‘How do we live now in the light of the resurrection?’ What follows is my reflection on how the Resurrection shapes my faith and how I try to live out this faith.
In our Gospels, the stories of Jesus’ resurrection highlight the importance of our senses. Particularly, the sense of touch. In one story, one of Jesus’s disciples, Thomas, needs to not only see Jesus but to touch his wounds and scars. In another story, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus once again appears to the disciples and shows them his wounds and scars. The very fact that Jesus had to do this tells us that just seeing Jesus was not enough: it was too shocking, too mind-blowing, too confusing to see Jesus standing there clearly alive when they knew He had died by crucifixion. It is the reality of the scars and wounds that Jesus bears which reveals to the disciples the extraordinary truth of the Resurrection.
Resurrection is seen in the wounds and scars of our lives and our world where we allow God to Easter within us. Resurrection never denies the pain and wounds of life. It is not a pretty picture covering up nasty things. It is the reality of God with us. It is the difference God makes, God’s kingdom or kin-dom of love and justice.
It is the difference each one of us can make. Working, praying for and with the wounds and scars of our world and for Resurrection to come. This is a deeply powerful image for all people, who have also been wounded and marginalized by society.
Particularly because each time Jesus shows His scars and wounds, he also speaks. He greets His friends with the words: “Peace be with you.” In Jewish culture at this time, the greeting ‘Peace be with you’ was often accompanied by a physical gesture. Placing the right hand on the other person’s shoulder, a sign of closeness and intimacy. This gesture and the words ‘Peace be with you’ were a way of affirming the other person’s presence and well-being, acknowledging their value and dignity as a human being.
I invite us to imagine what acknowledging then embodying and living out this message could mean in our lives and world today. In the face of the abyss of grief when we lose a loved one. In the face of so much violence and hatred in Israel/Palestine and Ukraine. In the face of so much pain and prejudice our Trans and non-binary siblings’ encounter. In the face of apathy and indifference to all who are homeless here and across the world.
I try to make the Resurrection the heart of how I live out my faith. Perhaps you could use the Season of Easter to do likewise? Why? Because the Resurrection is for every aspect of our lives today. It is worth our energy and prayer. It is worth the challenge to our comfort or status quo. Because it offers a transformation which our world so desperately needs. A transformation which can make God’s kingdom or kin-dom of love and justice a reality.
Nicola
| CALENDAR | |||
| MAY | |||
| 4th | SUNDAY | 10.45am | Morning Worship led by Rev Phil Chilvers |
| 11th | SUNDAY | 10.30am | Morning Worship at West Park URC (Leeds Marathon) |
| 13th | Tuesday | 12.30pm | Guild Lunch |
| 18th | SUNDAY | 10.45am | Morning Worship led by Rev Phil Chilvers |
| 25th | SUNDAY | No service | PARTNERSHIP SUNDAY |
| JUNE | |||
| 1st | SUNDAY | 10.45am | Morning Worship led by Rev Phil Chilvers |
PLEASE NOTE THE ANNUAL GENERAL CHURCH MEETING WILL BE HELD ON
SUNDAY, 8TH JUNE
The Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon will be held on 11th May when we shall join in worship at West Park URC. Roads are closed in the area (including the Otley Road between Headingley and Otley), so please check the feasibility of your journey before you travel.
We shall not be holding Morning Worship at HStC in Sunday, 25th May and it has been suggested that you may like to worship at another church within the Partnership.
MORNING WORSHIP in the PARTNERSHIP CHURCHES
| West Park URC | 10.30am | |
| Stainbeck URC | 10.45am | |
| St. Andew’s URC Roundhay | 10.30am | Café Style Worship |
| Wigton Moor URC | 10.30am | |
| Christ Church Halton | 10.30am | |
| URC in South Leeds | 10.45am | |
| Beeston Hill United Free Church | 10.30am |
GUILD LUNCH
Our May lunch will be held on Tuesday, 13th May, meeting, as usual, at 12.30pm for lunch at 1 o’clock. You must know that all are welcome by now – so why not take us up on the invitation? The cost is £4.
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK
11th – 17th MAY 2025
This year Christian Aid has chosen to highlight the problems of the Indigenous Q’eqchi’ community of the Alta Verapaz region of Guatamala.
‘The climate crisis and industrial plantations have changed Q’eqchi’ land dramatically. Gruelling heatwaves, savage storms and unpredictable seasons are ravaging farms. Industrial agriculture is taking over the last of the region’s natural resources to feed the world’s richest countries.
Aurelia has lived there since a small child and many of the vital crops that she depends on are withering and dying before her eyes. Aurelia’s farm, first and foremost, feeds her family. She has observed many impacts of the climate crisis, including extended dry seasons, the degradation of soil, contaminated water and a decreasing diversity of plants and crops.
With funding from Christian Aid, Congcoop supports communities to return to Indigenous farming practices and adopt agroecological approaches that conserve their land, culture and livelihood. Agroecology, put simply, is farming in a sustainable way that works with, not against, nature. It’s the application of ecological principles in farming – a blend of ancient and modern wisdom.
By working with Congcoop, Aurelia’s gained the skills and knowledge to cultivate native seeds that are better suited to the changing climate. She’s producing her own organic fertiliser, creating nurseries, constructing rainwater collection systems, and making nutritious food and medicine for her chickens. Thanks to Aurelia’s ever-growing knowledge base, she’s now cultivating cacao, sugarcane, cinnamon, corn and pineapples. It’s steady progress that holds promise. Aurelia’s resolute hope has also inspired her to develop and lead other activities in her community, including producing chocolate, establishing a farmers’ market, and fighting for women’s rights.’
With thanks to Christian Aid Publicity 2025
We no longer have enough volunteers to distribute envelopes in the local area, but Joan McShane will have envelopes available for your contributions at the beginning of May.
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Thanks to everyone who donated to the CHRISTIAN AID Myanmar Earth Quake Appeal. You raised £509.79p; of this £424 was gift aided.
The Garage at Far Headingley raised £40.79p, and with other money remaining in the account we were able to donate £700.00.
Joan McShane
LENT PROJECT – Zarach Bed Poverty
A huge thank you to all who donated to the Lent Project. A fantastic total of £1,274.65 has been raised, of which £470 is Gift Aided. I am sure Zarach will be extremely grateful and many children will benefit from your kind support.
Susan Bollon
My thanks to all who donated to my OPEN HOUSE in Aid of Parkinsons. It was a lovely day; Thank goodness for the sunshine so people were able to enjoy being outside. You were so generous allowing me to send £600 to Parkinsons Research which Phil supported. I know that other donations were also sent on-line.
Best Wishes, Joan.
EASTER COFFEE MORNING
It was a delight to see so many people from churches across the Partnership and our local churches come together and enjoy the coffee morning. Not many were feeling creative, but we still had a few on display; an owl, burger and chips, basket of easter chicks and a hat. £68.85 was raised for our Lent Project.
Many thanks to all who supported and those who helped with the refreshments, and we spread the joy of Easter by continuing the tradition of taking a selection of Easter eggs for the children at the Women’s Refuge.
Susan Bollon
MAY DAY
Although we now have a May Day holiday (since 1978!), I doubt many of us will be celebrating it in a traditional manner; but smaller communities often hand down customs from generation to generation. My brother lives in a ‘picture book’ village on Dartmoor and May Day is a celebration where the whole community becomes involved – a May Queen is chosen, taken ceremonially through the village under a canopy held by attendants, and accompanied by her maids of honour and musicians. She is crowned on a granite throne in the village orchard where her name will be engraved, and the celebrations continue with Maypole dancing, Morris dancing and fairground games. My nephews were attendants when they were young and now one of them is the proud dad of the littlest maid in the picture – and my brother still strums his way through the village in the flower bedecked band.
This is one ancient festival that the Christian church has not embraced but the church is at the heart of the community and the Rector will bless the people and their celebrations.
We do have a celebration in May – Ascension Day usually falls this month – this year Thursday, 29th May, but Pentecost will be in June. Do you have happy memories of that Whitsun weekend?
Youth club hikes. Church Socials and summer spreading ahead. We’ll gloss over the school exams bit!
LEEDS PARTNERSHIP AWAY DAY
On Saturday, 10th May, there will be a Leeds URC Partnership ‘Away Day’ from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm at the Lutheran Church in Alma Road, Headingley. This will be an opportunity to meet with members of the other 8 churches in the Partnership and explore how the Partnership is working for you and our next steps. All are welcome and lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please sign the sheet in the Large Hall if you are intending to come, so we know the numbers for catering.
The meeting will be facilitated by the the Rev’d Zadie Orr, who has recently retired as a Team Minister in Sheffield and Jon Steel, who is the Yorkshire Synod’s Mission Advocate.
FAVOURITE HYMNS: We all have favourite hymns, that wonderful blend of words and music that distils our thoughts of praise and prayer. Some may contain images that stay with us, or condense our thoughts in a way only poetry can achieve. And who has not felt uplifted by singing a favourite hymn, surrounded by others joining in praise – whatever our own musical ability.
Those who lead our worship may well have favourites too, as well as choosing hymns for that liturgical period or season of the year. This can prove difficult as different ministers may well choose the same hymn(s) on successive weeks leading Ian to tactfully mentioning this fact while also stating that of course we would be happy to have the same hymn again. I keep a list of the hymns sung week by week and I am sure you will not be surprised to learn that some hymns are very popular, especially the uplifting ones such as
| For the beauty of the earth 41 | God of Grace and God of glory 344 |
| O worship the king, all glorious above 47 | Come, let us join our cheerful songs 382 |
| Immortal, invisible ,God only wise 67 | Be thou my vision 489 |
| Praise to the Lord, the Almighty 74 | Dear Lord and Father 492 |
| Great is thy faithfulness 96 | Lord for the years 603 |
| Praise my soul, the King of heaven 104 | Rejoice the Lord is King 657 |
| Come thou long expected Jesus 138 | Love Divine, all loves excelling 663 |
| Jesus is Lord of all the earth 234 | Seek ye first the kingdom of God 512 |
| To God be the glory 289 | Praise my soul, the king of heaven 104 |
But there are many hymns we have rarely sung in the recent years which were well known to me (singing them at school and in church) and I wonder if you know them too. We are considering having a ‘Songs of Praise’ service later in the year, so why not look through the list and see if it prompts you to remember a hymn with a special meaning for you – or look through ‘Rejoice and Sing’ in a quiet moment.
| I bind unto myself today 36 | Eternal Father, strong to save 58 |
| God who made the earth 62 | I lift my eyes 64 |
| King of Glory, King of peace 97 | Let all the world in every corner sing 114 |
| Summer suns are glowing 120 | I danced in the morning 195 |
| Breathe on me breath of God 295 | God my father, loving me 350 |
| Have faith in God my heart 499 | Father, I place into your hands 518 |
| I’ll praise my maker while I’ve breath 734 | Lord thy word abideth 317 |
Pat van Lemmen started the list ten years ago to help those arranging services not to duplicate hymns and, although not comprehensive, it does give an indication of the most popular hymns. However, it does not list those we have not sung as a congregation, and I was surprised to see that that ‘God be in my head’ is not there, but, less surprisingly, as we no longer have an evening service ‘The day thou gavest, Lord is ended’ – the imagery of which I loved as a girl regularly attending Evening Worship.
Perhaps we don’t sing some hymns because they no longer seem applicable to our lives or the language is archaic. The imagery of ‘Eternal Father, strong to save’, written in the middle 1800’s would have meant so much to a a nation reliant upon sailing ships, rather than the huge container ships and liners we are accustomed to – until you remember our fishermen or those poor souls trusting themselves to flimsy craft in dangerous seas in search of a safer or better life. Missing, too, are all the simple children’s hymns we sang when Junior Church began shared worship with us – but that is another story.
How fortunate are we that I can still write these words, knowing that we have an accomplished organist to accompany us sympathetically whatever ‘favourite’ or almost ‘forgotten’ hymn is chosen each week.
