Vicar's Easter Message
Did you ever have certain family traditions when it came to Easter? (There are many at Christmas, of course).
We used to sit down with our 5 sons on a (sometimes) sunny morning before Easter Day to paint hard-boiled eggs
in many colours, and then go to our favourite hill in the Chilterns (where we used to live) and have a competition
to see whose egg rolled down the fastest- very simple, really, but great family fun together. The boys are all
grown up now, one with children of his own, and all doing their different things, but it does make us remember
how important family ties can be. Not everyone, of course, has happy memories of family life, but for many it
can still remain the basis of what God intends for us, and Easter-time can be a time of reconciliation for many.
Those beautifully painted eggs inevitably became cracked and broken as they reached the bottom of that hill-
but, somehow, they reflect something of the deeper meaning of Easter. If we're honest, we all have cracks and
flaws in one way or another (I know I have)- sometimes those cracks heal over, but they leave a scar to remind
us of God's love, care, forgiveness and reconciliation- not to mention his presence with us through the darkest
times. This is all shown in its ultimate sense on the cross on Good Friday- Jesus bearing our scars and flaws so
that we can be made whole again. All this is at the very centre of Easter Day, waking us up to the fact that we
have been given new life in Christ.
You may remember that verse: 'We look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with Jesus gets a fresh
start, and is created new'. So, whatever traditions you have at Easter, may you know the truth of this prayer:
'Lord, open my eyes to see your love for me, whatever cares of the world or in my own heart seek to hide you
from my view. Fill me with the joy of the resurrection, and help me to trust you with my life today, and forever.
Amen.
With our Easter blessings and love.
Gary and April
Weddings, Baptism and Funerals
It is our privilege to be involved in many of the significant moments of people's lives. Here at The Waterside Group of Churches we will do our best to guide you through what Christians mean by baptism, marriage and funerals.
Waterside Scratch Band
Scratch Band is the church music group for the Waterside group of parishes. The band meets for practice, fellowship, fun and a tea break every Thursday evening at 7.30pm to 9.30pm usually in the Church Room, Ludham or in one of the Waterside parish churches.
We play for services in the Waterside benefice and beyond, supporting regular worship in the churches and outdoors. We also entertain at local events and go carol singing in pubs, care homes and anywhere else that will have us!
Scratch is open to all. A warm welcome awaits whether you sing, play an instrument, or would just like to listen.
Contacts:
David Frost mobile: 07907679630
Diana Rackham mobile: 07880943104
Email: dianarackham@hotmail.com
WATERSIDE SCRATCH BAND – PRESS RELEASE
Meets: Thursdays, 7:30pm – 9:30pm, Ludham Church Room (Please check with a contact before coming, in case we are meeting elsewhere)
Contacts:
David Frost mobile: 07907679630
Diana Rackham mobile: 07880943104
Email: dianarackham@hotmail.com
Scratch Band is the church music group for the Waterside group of parishes.
The band meets for practice, fellowship, fun and a tea break every Thursday evening at 7.30pm to 9.30pm usually in the Church Room, Ludham or in one of the Waterside parish churches.
We play for services in the Waterside benefice and beyond, supporting regular worship in the churches and outdoors. We also entertain at local events and go carol singing in pubs, care homes and anywhere else that will have us!
Scratch is open to all. A warm welcome awaits whether you sing, play an instrument, or would just like to listen.
New member Dianne comments:
Hello, we are the scratch band, a group of musicians and singers who provide music and support for the Waterside Benefice (Ludham, Catfield and Potter Heigham Churches). We were formed some 10 years ago to provide music when there was no organist in the churches. And so now we attend all Benefice services and other special services in the church calendar. This Christmas we sang carols at Stalham Christmas event, sung to the residents at The Old Vicarage, Ludham. We were also found singing carols in the The Crown Public House Catfield one of our more unusual venues. Our happy band could also be heard in all three churches over Christmas. The final feather in our cap was a spot on Radio Norfolk singing our own very special rendition of While Shepherds.
My name is Dianne, and I am one of the new members of the band. I enjoy singing but never felt brave enough to join a choir. So when the bands leader David Frost invited me to become a member of the Scratch Band and I went along in fear and trepidation but I can honestly say is the best decision I made. There’s music, laughter and fellowship at our weekly meetings and I now really hate to miss a meeting. I urge anyone who loves to sing or play and perhaps a little hesitant about joining to come and give us a try. There’s no audition.
There is also a social side to our group and for Burns Night this year we had a haggis neeps and tatties supper followed by the traditional dessert of Cranach. The haggis was piped in by one of our musicians Ros Wilson and the address was given by another of our musicians Eilish. Once we had all enjoyed our supper we were treated to a very informative and enjoyable talk by Dr Zena Aldridge on “Dementia Awareness”. The whole evening was a huge success.
So having read all about us, I hope it’s whet your appetite and made you just a-bit curious about us
THE SCRATCH BAND.
The Waterside
