Easter is a time for new projects and new beginnings.
There have been harrowing events overseas and closer to home. However even in the darkest of moments there lies the prospect of renewal.
On Monday I was present with many showing their respects as PC Palmer began his last journey having rested overnight in Parliament. Photographs, including one taken on the day of his death, record him engaging with the thousands that flock to Westminster.
On the same day I met up with three different parties – 5th/10th Horsham Scouts, the Choir of St Mary’s Horsham and a team of the 12th Horsham Brownies. All visited Parliament and, in the case of the Brownies, Downing Street was added in for good measure! The engagement of all the young people involved, their enthusiasm and interest was wonderful: one police officer told me how good it was to see them visiting given the other events of the day.
In February I joined St Marks Church, Holbrook as they were formally consecrated as a Parish Church in their own right. This completed a long journey. St Marks having been founded in 1841. The building was almost entirely rebuilt in 1871. In the mid 20th century they were closed down and then, by local popular demand, reopened. As many will be aware, following the redevelopment of Horsham town centre the church building was ultimately demolished, leaving just the spire which still sets off Carfax.
It must have taken real vision to transplant St Mark's congregation at the redevelopment to temporary accommodation and then into a new building in an area of planned housing development in the north of the town. St Mark's became a parish church in its own right on 18th October 2016. The service led by the Bishop of Chichester back in February made this happy transformation “official”.
There is much to be nervous about in the world and many challenges to be overcome. A notice outside the Russian Embassy this week points out that, unusually, the Russian and Western Easter falls this year on the same date. The notice expresses the hope that this may be a good sign – with so much to fix we would all like to hope so.
Photo caption: 12th Horsham Brownies visiting No.10 Downing Street.