I like to listen to recordings of choral music during the Easter holidays such as Bach’s cantatas and other choir music. I plan on attending church services if I can. It’s also time to watch religious films again such as Ben Hur, The Robe, and King of Kings. Do others here like this too? 🙂

@narnian78 

Oh yes. It that time of year to watch those movies. I also remember watch a movie called Barabbas, where it explores on what happens to him after he was released. And it I guess you can say it is an Easter kind of movie.

Anyhow, our church now has Easter lilies in the sanctuary for the time of year.

I would strongly recommend listening to Bach’s music during the Easter and Christmas seasons. I am listening to St. Matthew’s Passion right now, and I listened to St. John’s Passion yesterday. If you need English translations from the original German (they are not always in the booklets of the CD’s) they can be found here: https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV244-Eng3.htm . Listening to the choirs can be wonderfully moving. 🙂

My church holds a Maundy Thursday service, which differs each year. The following morning we have a Good Friday service; we include a separate children's programme which I'll be helping lead. 

On Easter morning we have an early gathering for coffee and croissants, then an Easter egg hunt (plastic eggs!  chocolate ones given to all the hunters) and then the most joyful communion service.

We have a large wooden Cross with wire netting over it; on Friday it is placed at the front of the church. At the start of the Sunday service we all come and thread flowers into it, transforming it into something beautiful. 

I'll be working the entire Easter weekend this year. Caregiving facilities have to run 24/7/365, after all!! But I don't consider it any loss, even though I won't be able to attend church in person. Our work is part of our church's whole ministry and I feel so blessed to be part of it.

Now (perhaps because I'm planning another holiday in Cornwall for later this year) I'm remembering a few lovely inter-denominational Easter services I've attended with Cornish language speakers and learners, including singing beautiful Easter hymns like "Jesus Christ is risen today" and "Now the green blade rises" in Cornish! Definitely a different experience.

We have a set of Easter eggs called "Resurrection Eggs". When you open each egg, it contains a little item (such as a cup, a toy donkey, a crown of thorns, a dice, etc) that helps tell the story of Easter. And one of them is an empty egg.

Posted by: @narnian78

I would strongly recommend listening to Bach’s music during the Easter and Christmas seasons. I am listening to St. Matthew’s Passion right now, and I listened to St. John’s Passion yesterday.

Every Good Friday for years, we've listened to the St. John's Passion.  It seems to grow more powerful each time: moving and beautiful and sad all at once.  When my brother and I were in Oxford four years ago, we had the opportunity to hear it live (at the New College chapel, which is not very new!)

St Matthew's Passion is also great, but I can't say I know it as well.  I can't help wondering what the other Passions would be like, since three out of the five have been lost.  A real pity, if they were anywhere close to the same quality.

Though we have just celebrated Easter, with church attendance & roast lamb for lunch, we are planning another commemoration for ANZAC Day, in two weeks' time, on 25th April 2023 to remember my own father, a World War II veteran, who passed away forty years ago. 

@aileth friends of mine were singing in the St John Passion here on Friday night, but it was too late at night for me. I'd love to have heard it. Next year?

Happy Easter to all my Narniaweb family!  

Our church breakfast was a big turned out and church service was packed this morning!