First Church News

Not so long ago when we got into the month of April, there was a feeling that the town would be settling down after all the many and varied Summer events that locals and visitors had enjoyed. But this year there is still a great buzz with a full programme ahead of us – coinciding with Easter we have the Ballooon Festival, the Wairarapa Garden Trail, Farmers Markets and Country Fairs, and as the month goes on many celebrations of art, music and literature, and of course the increasingly popular cycling.

First Church will have celebrated Easter, and some of us have used the weeks leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday to look again at the gospel accounts of the last week in the life of Jesus to try to understand the story of this life which showed a new way of living based on non-violence, freedom from abuse of power, and justice.

As we look ahead also to Anzac Day on the 25^th of this month, these lines by Fred Kaan written in 1965 seem very meaningful:

For the healing of the nations,

Lord, we pray with one accord

for a just and equal sharing

of everything that earth affords.

Lead us forward into freedom:

from despair your world release,

that redeemed from war and hatred

all may come and go in peace.

All that kills abundant living,

let it from the earth be banned:

pride of status, race or schooling,

dogmas that obscure your plan.