A perfect Good Friday

We are in England with Roger's family for Easter weekend, having flown over to Liverpool airport yesterday evening. This morning we all went to church to share in the moving and meaningful Good Friday service. The service was led by the four worship leaders, tracing the events of Holy Week as told in Mark's gospel. It was a beautiful day, sunny with clear blue skies, and after lunch we went for a beautiful walk, enjoying all the blossom and wild flowers - cowslips, marsh marigolds, wood anemones and we were surprised to see quite a lot of bluebells out already. In the evening we went to a performance of Handel's Messiah, in which Janet was singing and John was playing the piano. The money from the event was going to the church's mission in Kenya, and paying for students to go to college, so it was great to think that not only were we listening to beautiful music, but also bringing help to people far away.

I'll leave you with the words of the wonderful Easter hymn:

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.