Easter 2016

Holy Week & Easter Services around the Benefice

Holy Week Communions – on Monday (21), Tuesday (22) and Wednesday (23) there will be a Holy Communion service at St John’s starting at 7.30 pm. The services are a good time to reflect on the events that took place between Palm Sunday and Easter.

Maundy Thursday Meal & Holy Communion – at St Stephen’s from 7.30 pm, the evening starts with a shared meal and Holy Communion and ends with the stripping of the Communion Table (others will then proceed to strip the altar at St John’s).

Good Friday – there are various services around the Benefice; at 10.00 am, a Joint Service at Littledean URC; at 12 noon the various churches from around Cinderford and Littledean meet in The Triangle for the March of Witness; at 2.00 pm, a quiet reflective service around the Last Hour at the Cross at St John’s and at 7.30 pm (also at St John’s)  a service using the Good Friday liturgy.

Holy Saturday – Saturday 26 March, St Stephen’s will be open for personal prayer from 11.00 am until 3.00 pm.

Easter Sunday – various services to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour.

  • 9.30 am Easter Communion at St Ethelbert’s
  • 9.30 am Easter Eucharist at St John’s
  • 10.00 am Easter Communion (by Extension) at Bilson Mission
  • 11.00 am All Age Easter Communion at St Stephen’s (with Easter Garden Competition – see below)

Fellowship Lunch at St Stephen’s (12.30 pm) for anyone who wishes to attend.

Easter Garden Competition

Entries from all ages are once again invited for the St Stephen’s Easter Garden Competition. This will be judged during the Easter All Age Holy Communion (Sunday 27 March at 11.00 am) and is an excellent way to get involved if you have a passion for garden design, crafting or even cake making (with last years entries including a cake!).

There will be prizes in children, young people and adult categories and judging will be based on creativity, Biblical reference, originality and overall appearance.

Easter Lilies

If anyone wishes to donate towards the cost of the Easter Lilies around the Benefice: at St Stephen’s please contact Sheila Llewellyn (822394); at St John’s please contact Eve Smith (822755) and at Bilson please contact Kath Greenman (827098).

If the donation is in memory of a loved one, please let Sheila, Eve or Kath know.