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 The Easter bunny is a gentle figure of folklore, who seems to have first come from the German Lutherans.  They depicted him as a rabbit who brought coloured Easter eggs to children.  The idea of an egg-giving hare went over to the US in the 18th century, when Protestant German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch...

What was the largest ever Easter egg hunt? The most-ever entrants for an egg hunt competition was 12,773.  It was The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt, as part of World Record London, in London, UK in April 2012. What was the largest-ever decorated Easter egg? This was built in March 2008, by Freeport in Alcochete, Portugal. ...

As a new tax year gets underway, did you know that the men who collect our taxes are working in one of the oldest professions known?  Archaeological evidence dating from 1900 BC includes a clay tablet recording a tax for public works and a papyrus scroll which reveals that even 4,000 years ago, tax-payers had...

What’s the point of Easter? From the Vicar The Beatitudes – ‘Blessed are the Poor in Spirit’ Easter joy A time to mourn Charles Wesley’s hymn for Easter:  Christ the Lord is risen today!   **   Editor:  The Rev Paul Hardingham, on the power that we need… What’s the point of Easter? As we...

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, when the Church remembers how Jesus arrived at the gates of Jerusalem just a few days before the Passover was due to be held.  He was the Messiah come to his own people in their capital city, and yet he came in humility, riding on a young donkey, not...

Maundy Thursday is famous for two things.  The first is one of the final acts that Jesus did before his death: the washing of his own disciples’ feet.  (see John 13)  Jesus washed his disciples’ feet for a purpose:  “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you...

As we celebrate Easter, it raises the question: What difference can the Resurrection make to my life? My past is forgiven: Have you ever been half-way through a project and wanted to start again? In life we all have regrets about things we have done, said or thought. The good news is that Jesus died...

Luke’s account of the crucifixion (Luke 23:32-43) emphasises the mocking of the crowd, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself’ (35,37,39). In their view a Messiah does not hang on a cross and suffer. In considering the two men who was crucified with Jesus, we are also confronted with the issue of...

Good Friday is the day on which Jesus died on the cross. He was crucified at 9am in the morning, and died six hours later, at 3pm.  It is the most solemn day in the Christian year, and is widely marked by the removal of all decorations from churches.  In Lutheran churches, the day was...

As we celebrate Easter, What difference can the resurrection make to my life? My past is forgiven: Have you ever been half-way through a project and wanted to start again? In life we all have regrets about things we have done, said or thought. The good news is that Jesus died to forgive these things:...

By Mark Batterson, Authentic, £10.99 In this compelling manifesto, New York Times bestselling author Mark Batterson challenges readers to ‘chase the lions’ in their lives, and to be prepared to act accordingly when they catch them! The author encourages people to take bold actions to accomplish their goals, follow his practical steps to making those...

by Canon David Winter As the traditional Easter story is rehearsed again this month, you may notice that there is one name that frequently occurs. It is that of the ‘other’ Mary – not the mother of Jesus, but Mary of Magdalene, who stood by her at the cross and became the first human being...