For Christian people the Easter weekend with the observance of Good Friday and Easter Day is really important, celebrating the significant events concerning Jesus. This is the time Christians give thanks for a miracle. Christians believe that Jesus, who was cruelly put to death on a cross, is alive today and is none other than the divine Son of God with the power to change peoples lives.

Published below is a possible outline of our programme for Easter 2012. This is based on Easter 2011, and the details may well change. Check back after Christmas for confirmation of these details.
 
Palm Sunday 1st April 2012
 
Celebration services
9am and 4pm in the Chapel, Mount Street
(with a Crèche, Sunday Club for children & Youth Group)
and at 6.30pm a Youth led Celebration
 
10.30am at Claverham Community College
(with a Crèche, Sunday Club for younger children)
 
Monday to Thursday - Morning Meditations 7.45 - 8.15
(detailed programme download as a pdf file here)
(followed by breakfast) in the Chapel Mount Street.
 
 
Thursday Evening Communion Service 5th April at 7.30pm
 
 
Good Friday 6th April
 
  8.00am to 8.45am ~ Hymns and Readings
  10.30am to 11.30am ~ Family Service
(with a Crèche, Sunday Club for younger children)

Drop in for FREE coffee and hot cross buns served between 9.00am and 12.00 noon on Friday in our Mount Street premises.

Easter Sunday 8th April
 
8.30am a celebration of Communion in the Chapel, Mount Street
Celebration Services for all the family
Breakfast from 9.30am with the service start at 10.30am Claverham Community College
(with a Crèche, Sunday Club & Youth Group)
4.00pm in the Chapel, Mount Street
(with a Crèche & Sunday Club) 
 
Message for the children (& their parents):

By now you will have seen the Service schedule for Easter from the Church card, but we are writing to clarify the children’s involvement in the services.

 Palm Sunday

At the 9.00 service the children will start with their parents in the Chapel; child musicians will be leading the first two songs. In the 4.00 service the children will be taking part in a Palm Sunday parade; costumed, singing and playing. Please bring your children at 3.15 for final rehearsal and dressing-up.

Good Friday

During the 10.30 Family Service children will be singing and playing their musical instruments. Please arrive by 9.45 for a practice.

Easter Sunday

In the 10.30 service at Claverham, and again at the 4.00 service in the Chapel, the children will be playing and singing.

And finally..

You will be pleased to know that we have been invited into Saxonwood Home at 11.00 a.m. on Wednesday 20th April to perform our songs to the residents. This is a wonderful opportunity to share the love of Jesus with members of our community who find it hard to get to Church. We do hope all our children will be able to take part. We will be meeting at the Chapel at 10.00 for a quick run-through after which we will walk the children across to Saxonwood, which is located next to Battle & Langton School. Please collect your children from the car park outside the school at 12.00.

Consent Form to be returned to the Sunday club leaders or Battle Baptist Church Office as soon as possible

 An Easter Message.........

“He is risen!” ~ the words of the angel outside of the tomb where 3 days earlier the body of Jesus had been laid. 

“He is not here- he is risen!”  

What a shock for the disciples, who had watched their Lord Jesus being crucified. They struggled to believe it. Jesus, the one they saw crucified, now alive!! But it was true. He appeared, in several places, to more than 500 people before ascending back up into heaven.

The authorities were so concerned about the effect that the resurrection of Jesus would have on the population, that they bribed some of the soldiers, to say that during the night, the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus.

Christ is risen!

What a tremendous blessing for all who believe and put their trust in Him. Because of his death and resurrection, all our sins will be forgiven, if we will truly repent. We can be totally set free from the slavery of sin.

“Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah.”

This acclamation of praise has been translated into every language of every country where there is a Christian community.

Every Easter Day these words ring out in every Christian church around the world.

They are the words that are at the very centre of the Christian faith. As the apostle Paul wrote, ‘if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is futile; you are still in your sins….but the truth is that Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.’

The challenge is to everyone –

Do you want a fresh start from the shortcomings of the past?

Do you want a fresh start from the things that spoil your life?

Do you want to be healed of past hurts?

Do you want to be set free from wrong relationships?

A fresh starts begins when you put your trust in Jesus and receive God’s forgiveness for all the wrong things,

And that fresh start can begin right now

All because Jesus is alive- he is risen!