What a wonderful time of year this is! Spring is with us! In my garden, Spring started to demand my attention with the clumps of snowdrops, then the cyclamens and crocuses popped up in clusters to join them, and now the daffodils are beginning to show their majestic golden yellow heads and dark green, spear-like leaves - dancing in the breeze. What a beautiful sight! New life! Lambs are frolicking in the pastures. Soon there will be bluebells. In the earlier hours of the daybreak, rabbits hop around on the hillsides nibbling the grass, and bird song greets the break of the morn - an amazing sound to behold. There are leaves on some of the trees, and the rest are in bud. There is a resurrection taking place around us as nature safely emerges from the battening down of winter. Gone, hopefully, is the harshness of winter although some snow is still possible, as nature is caressed by the life-enabling shafts of warm sunlight. Yet it is still risky for new life, as night frost has the potential to end it with its icy sword. It isn't yet a time to plant out seedlings except under cover.

We have just celebrated this transition from 'death' to new life, which is inherent in nature and in our faith, by celebrating the resurrection of Christ at Easter. The winter of humanity that brought to an end a good and gracious life was recalled during the nightly readings of the 'Harmony of the Gospel' during 'Passion Week' (i.e. the week before Easter).

It is a moving narrative that culminates in the events of Good Friday, which is a day of remembering when Christ was crucified - when we see the worst of humanity (that which we are all capable of) in action. Yet, even in that, we see God's presence in the grace of Christ as he faces his oppressors with humility and vulnerability. Then, three days later, we have the re-emergence of hope from despair, seen in the risen Christ on Easter Day. We take this to be a spiritual truth that there is life beyond death, and so we celebrate this with an early morning service. In many Moravian Churches, this takes place in God's Acre (our burial ground) on Easter Day - remembering those who have passed on to better things, but who have left an imprint on our lives, our souls and our community. It reminds us that even if we face the worst of the world, there is still hope. So we bring out the chocolate eggs and rabbits, and the little yellow fluffy chickens that the commercial world provided - all symbols of the new life which is to be celebrated and marvelled at - but actually, and more profoundly, which is already in the emerging world that is present around us. So, take a gentle stroll and enjoy the sight and symbolism that is Easter - but remember what happened to Christ as you journey, and be filled with hope. We Moravians haven't been called 'the Easter People' for nothing!

Br Peter Gubi
Dukinfield