Churches April 2025

Easter Services

Palm Sunday 13th April at 10am - Morning Prayer

Maundy Thursday 17th April at 10am - Holy Communion

Good Friday 18th April from 10am-12noon - Cafe at 10 at St. Helen’s - Drop in anytime for family activities and refreshments.

Easter Sunday 20th April at 10am - Holy Communion

Details of all services within the Parishes of Mitford and Hebron, Upper Wansbeck and Longhorsley are on the Church Notice Board and other Notice Boards in the Village.

St. Helen’s Annual General Meeting

27th April - Morning Prayer Service at 10am, followed at 11am by AGM in the Church.

St Helen's Contact Details

During the Interregnum the Area Dean will be responsible for the Parish.

Rev. Chris Groocock  01670 813358      www.achurchnearyou.com

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For five Sundays of lent we shall have different activities and also stations of the cross every Friday at 6.30pm. The Palm Sunday Passion of the Lord will be on the 13th April. The celebration will start at 11.15am.

Our Holy week programmes start with Maundy Thursday 17th April, mass at 7pm. The Good Friday veneration of the cross and communion service 18th April, at 3pm in the afternoon. Easter Vigil 19th April, mass starts at 8pm. Easter Sunday the 20th April mass will be at 11.15am.

We are happy to welcome all for our celebrations. Easter is the feast over all the feasts in our Christian life. Let us celebrate with deep faith for our salvation was won by Christ through His death and resurrection.

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Other Sunday services by arrangement, information thereof being available from our Contact below.

For our other group meetings, please see the Group Activities sections.

Visitors are always very welcome to all our events.

Contact Ian Pagan 788263 idpagan@btinternet.com

Website: www.longhorsleymission.org.uk

Thought for the Month

The Darkness is Passing and the True Light is Shining 

We are at the time of year when the darkness is receding and the welcome light of spring and summer is dawning on us. When I was working, I always noticed the birds singing as I left work in the light for the first time and it always lifted my heart. After the first day, I either didn’t notice or wasn’t listening. 

As we approach Easter, it is a time to reflect that the darkness of Calvary and the death of Christ is over and the glorious new dawn and new life in his resurrection is upon us. The apostle Paul tells us in the book of Corinthians the two most important truths about Christianity are that Christ died for our sins and he was buried and rose again.

[3] For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.

The darkness of Calvary was real. It was a physical darkness and a spiritual darkness. The Sun’s rays stopped shining as Luke records that there was “darkness over the whole land from the sixth to the ninth hour” when it should’ve been shining at its brightest (Luke 23:44). This was the time when when the Lord Jesus was bearing our sins in his body (1 Peter 2:24). Men were doing their worst but God was doing something greater than anybody could ever have imagined. For out of the darkness of Calvary and the death of Jesus of Nazareth, God was going to bring the salvation he had promised when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. (Matt 1:21).

When the women who followed Jesus came to the grave intending to anoint his body, they were met by an angel who spoke to them and said, “He is not here but has risen.” (Luke 23:44). The darkness was passed and a new day had dawned.

When Peter preached in Jerusalem on Pentecost it was about the fact that Jesus had risen and that what happened was all in the plan of God who has made Jesus both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). There was also a timely message to the people that they should,  “Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38).”

As daylight increases and darkness dispels we need to pay more attention to the fact that God has brought His light, His love and His life to us in Christ. It can make a difference not just for a few days but forever.

Dr Ian Neilly, Longhorsley Mission.

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