Why Easter should be your top priority this year

THE peculiarities of the calendar mean that Easter can fall anytime between March 22 and April 25 – and this year it falls early on March 31.

That caught me a little by surprise when it came to preparation. And as we counted down to arguably the biggest Christian festival, I found myself getting bogged down in day-to-day stuff and putting off my Easter preparation.

The distractions were great ones – for instance, the launch of ‘Bubble Church’ at St Nicholas Church on April 21. It’s a Sunday service for babies, toddlers and young families, described as a puppet-packed, Jesus-centred, coffee-and-croissant-fuelled, 30-minute kids and families adventure.

It’s right up my street and perfect for our community and I am a bit excited about it. Hence the distraction! You can read more about it on www.bedhampton.church

The author Stephen Covey popularised a time-management matrix which categories activities as urgent or not urgent, and important or not important. So Bubble Church preparation was important and exciting, but not urgent. Whereas the important and urgent activity was the fast-approaching Easter date. And of course, Easter genuinely is important and urgent.

Each year, Easter comes and goes and many of us don’t think of it as important or urgent. But if Jesus really gave his life for us and then rose from the dead 2,000 years ago, that’s actually something of mind-blowing importance!

Jesus doesn’t force himself on us, of course, but the decision that we take to believe that and follow him – or to choose not to – is a big decision.

If the past few years of pandemic, conflicts and economic turmoil have shown us anything, it’s that we do not know what tomorrow holds. When we know little of our future, important decisions become urgent, meaning that this Easter might be a good time for all of us to think about what it means for us.

Thankfully my Easter preparations did rise to the top of my list and we are ready for what’s happening this week. From the joyous Palm Sunday parade on March 24, the quiet reflection of Good Friday (March 29) and the joyful celebrations of new life on Easter Sunday (March 31), we are ready for those who want to celebrate life.

Find out more on www.bedhampton.church, and ask yourself the question: how important and urgent are we making it to discover how relevant Jesus is for us at the moment? And could you join us and other churches this Easter to find out?

ST THOMAS’ CHURCH, Bidbury Lane, Bedhampton, PO9 3JG (Normally Sunday 9.00am, Wednesday 9:30am)

ST NICHOLAS’ CHURCH, Belmont Grove, Bedhampton, PO9 3PU (Normally Sunday 10.30am)

www.bedhampton.church