Newsletter

Central Church Newsletter
April 2026

As we approach the most important date in the Christian calendar, we as Christians, know the sacrifices Jesus made for us over 2000 years ago.  He had to suffer so we could all be saved.  As we rejoice in his resurrection on Easter Sunday we need to look at ourselves and ask “Are we worthy?”  With so much discord, hatred and war all over the world was it really worth it? The answer is YES because the scriptures had to be fulfilled and all we, as individuals, can do is try to follow in his footsteps in our everyday life. Where there is LIFE there is HOPE.  Happy Easter to all of you.

Linda and Malcolm Johnson

WE ARE EASTER PEOPLE!

Dear Friends,

As we move towards Easter it is good for us to remind ourselves that Christians are fundamentally Easter People. The Easter message stands right at the heart of our lives and our worship throughout the whole year.

But Easter can easily be misunderstood.  It isn’t merely an amazing historical event, but the moment that needs to totally transform our understanding of our lives and of the world in which we live.  When Jesus rose from death, he was demonstrating that he was God himself and that even the final enemy could not hold him.  The most brutal destructiveness had been unleashed on him, but it had failed to conquer him.  He had shown for all time that sin and death had been beaten.

Resurrection thinking needs to shape the way in which we look at the world around us.  We face appalling evil on a daily basis. Millions of people are caught up in the onslaught of war in Iran and throughout the Middle East and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia shows no signs of ending. The catalogue of awfulness which characterises our world leaves many people demoralized and despairing.  That is an entirely understandable reaction, but Easter offers us a new way of thinking.  It doesn’t need to be this way!  Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to offer a way to overcome the problems of distrust, selfishness and violence.  I am not for a moment minimising the scale of the challenge.  However, for the man who confronted the brutality of the Romans and defeated death itself no challenge is beyond his power to bring transformation.

Resurrection thinking also needs to shape our thinking about Central Church.  Our Sunday services are a vital opportunity to remind ourselves that the Jesus who rose from death is the same Lord whom we worship today.  Throughout the history of the church and its predecessors, people have been reminded of Jesus’ power to give forgiveness, hope, strength and peace to all who worship him.  Through the different seasons of our lives the message of resurrection has been God’s word of life for us.  However great our challenges and tragedies the news of Jesus’ resurrection has given us hope and a sense of direction.  In our own day we face plenty of struggles and difficulties, but we can be sure that the message of Jesus’ victory will continue to inspire and fortify us.

Resurrection thinking also needs to shape our thinking about our own personal lives and the lives of our families.  We all face an amazing mixture of challenges and blessings.  That’s life!  How wonderful that we don’t have to face life with merely our own wisdom and strength but with the knowledge that Jesus has won the victory over sin and death.  He is with us in our daily life and constantly seeking to share his victory with us.

This Easter marks five years since I started my ministry at Central Church. In April 2021 we were still in lockdown and were unable to meet in person. Thank you for the privilege of serving you and I praise God for every way in which we have shared together in the joy of being an Easter People.

With warmest greetings,

Yours ever, in Christ

Revd Jonathan Edwards
Transitional Minister

Sunday services at 10.30 a.m.

  • 5 April:   Revd Jonathan Edwards, HOLY COMMUNION Easter Sunday
  • 12 April: Deacon Stephen Roe
  • 19 April: Revd Jonathan Edwards, HOLY COMMUNION
  • 26 April: Revd Owen Green

Extra Easter Services

  • Thursday 2 April: Agape Meal at 6.30 p.m.
  • Friday 3 April: Good Friday Service at 10.30 a.m.

Dates for your diary, held at the Pilgrim Centre unless stated otherwise. (Please phone Jonathan on 07876 234264 if you need Barbara’s address.)

  • Monday 6 April:      Community Cafe closed.  Bank Holiday
  • Thursday 9 April:     2.30 p.m: Bible Study 
  • Monday 13 April:   10 a.m. – 1 p.m: Community Cafe 
  • Tuesday 14 April:    7.30 p.m: Bible Study at Barbara’s
  • Monday 20 April:   10 a.m. – 1 p.m: Community Cafe 
  • Thursday 23 April:   2.30 p.m: Bible Study 
  • Monday 27 April:   10 a.m. – 1 p.m: Community Cafe 
  • Tuesday 28 April:    7.30 p.m: Bible Study at Barbara’s

We continue to pray for all those in our Church Family who are ill, housebound and struggling with life at the moment.

Christian Aid Week

This will take place from 10th to 16th May and this year Christian Aid Week will focus on the poverty in the communities of Burundi.

More information and how you can donate  will be available in the May newsletter.

Jane Walsh

We are delighted that Deacon Tessa Bennett will be joining the North Wilts Circuit in September. Her welcome meeting is due to take place at the Pilgrim Centre on 9 September. Tessa is an energetic, friendly person who will be a great asset to us, Bath Road and Rodbourne.

 Judith Furse

Thought for the Day – “Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life” – S.D. Gordon

Deadline for May newsletter – As we are away at the end of April the deadline for the May newsletter is now Friday 24th April 2026