Churches across Lancashire are making plans to celebrate Easter.

The Easter celebration is especially poignant and important this year given the frustrations of worshipping, often remotely, for much of the last 24 months.

Rt Rev. Philip North, Bishop of Burnley and chair of the Diocesan Coronavirus Task Group, said today: "Our clergy, as community leaders, alongside many, many people in our parishes have worked so hard across Lancashire to ensure our churches have been, and remain, safe places to worship throughout the pandemic. 

"The quality of leadership they have shown in this regard over the course of the past two years has been remarkable. Of course, although restrictions have been lifted, we are aware the pandemic is not over and continue to give thanks for keyworkers, especially those in the health service and education who continue to face severe challenges.

"At the same time we are grateful to God that we are now able to celebrate Easter together and properly in person for the first time since 2019. I pray that through the many services and events taking place across the Diocese at this time people across the County may know the peace of Easter; that peace which flows from the Father and so be able to share that peace with others." 

Across Lancashire there will be walks of witness; Easter egg hunts and even weddings taking place in and around our churches plus, of course, a huge number of services leading up to and including the Easter weekend.

All this activity will culminate in Easter Day celebrations on Sunday, April 17, with dawn services in many parts of the County on that special day; it’s going to be an exciting time. 

Many of our parishes have let us know what events people in their local communities could look forward to. Some are featured below and there are many more activities taking place at other parishes too, not already listed here. 

Also featured are quotes from local clergy reflecting on what it means to be gathering properly again this Easter. 

If you want to find out more about those, and also want to attend a church in person over the Easter weekend, you can find the nearest one to where you live by visiting The Church of England's 'A Church Near You' website.  

Meanwhile you can also read/watch Bishop Julian's Easter message for 2022 on this website by going to this page. 

Bishop Julian, who retires in the summer after nearly nine years as Bishop of Blackburn, will also be taking part in a number of services across the Easter period in person and even online.

These include the annual Chrism Eucharist at Blackburn Cathedral on Maundy Thursday (more about that here) and the Diocesan online service; available on our YouTube channel from 8am on Easter Day morning.

Blackburn Cathedral

There will be the usual services at the Cathedral across the Easter Week, culminating in ...

• Maundy Thursday: Chrism Eucharist 11am More here. Plus Cathedral Eucharist at 8pm. 
• Good Friday: The Three Hours, including liturgy of Good Friday
• Saturday April 16: Easter Vigil with confirmation
• Easter Day: Parish Eucharist at 9am; Cathedral Eucharist 10.30am and Choral Evensong at 4pm

For more on Easter week at the Cathedral, visit their website. 

St Anne's, Shevington

Typical of the ‘return to normality’ is the parish of St Anne’s in Shevington, near Wigan, where a full programme of worship and getting together has been planned for Easter Week.

The itinerary is as follows:

• Thursday 14th April,  Last Supper Meal 6.30pm in the parish centre Food, fellowship and breaking bread together.
• Friday 15th April, Good Friday Reflections 2-3pm in church Space to consider Christ’s sacrifice.
• Saturday 16th April, Easter Egg Hunt at Standish Lower Ground.
• Easter Day Sunday 17th April, Sunrise service 6am in the church yard. Welcome the sun and the resurrection with a simple outdoor service. Followed by bacon butties in the parish centre!
• Traditional Easter Communion follows at 9.30am.
• An all age Easter celebration with communion follows that service  at 11am, and that will be Followed by St Anne’s family Easter lunch in the adjacent parish centre.

Associate Vicar at St Anne’s the Rev Jenny Brown says: “Easter is such a fabulous time of year for us as a church family and this year we really want to make sure it is full of hope and fellowship.

“Our preparation began back in September 2021 when we planted about 400 daffodils around the church building in hopeful expectation that they would declare the arrival of a new season, displaying God’s faithfulness to bring new life.

"They have brought a smile and provided a conversation starter to weekly worshippers and passers-by.

“Jesus spent lots of time sharing food with friends, a sign of companionship and a desire to listen and respond to one another.

"This year we are eager to meet around a table together on Maundy Thursday and connect the story of the Passover with the story of Easter seeing the treads of God’s grace linking them all. And who can’t resist an early morning bacon butty on Easter Day!?

“Easter is also a fabulous opportunity to share the gospel message with those outside our church fellowship but unlike Christmas we have to seek to create our own traditions in our parish like our Saturday Easter Egg Hunt focused on our church school community.

"Each family will be able to follow a treasure hunt of printed eggs and discover the secret code. At the end they’ll receive chocolate and a gospel tract to share at home.

"“It feels we have waited a long time to have an unrestricted celebration of the glorious resurrection and we want to make sure this one is worth the wait." 

United Benefice of Dolphinholme, Quernmore and Over Wyresdale

THE VICAR of The United Benefice of Dolphinholme, Quernmore and Over Wyresdale, a rural Benefice on the edge of the Trough of Bowland is looking forward to a great few days over Easter.

The Rev Cindy Rigney says: “This Holy Week we have an Agape meal on Maundy Thursday at 6.30pm at St Peter's, Quernmore, with optional Holy Communion. Then there is a service of Reflection at the Foot of the Cross at 2.30pm at St Mark's Church, Dolphinholme on Good Friday.

"There will be Easter children's activities at 10am on Saturday, Easter Eve, at Christ Church, Over Wyresdale (pictured). 

"Then On Easter morning we will meet at Jubilee Tower, at 5.45am for a simple dawn service, kindling the first light of Easter. This will be followed by bacon, or fried egg butties, cooked in the open, with - we hope - a stunning view."

In the parishes, on Easter morning, each church will celebrate Holy Communion, with renewal of baptism vows, as follows: St Peter’s, Quernmore - 9.30am. St Mark's, Dolphinholme - 10.00am. Christ Church, Over Wyresdale - 11.00am.

There will also be an egg decorating competition in each church, for all ages, and an Easter egg hunt, following the services. The congregations are also being encouraged to bring along flowers to decorate the Easter crosses outside the churches.

Fellside Team of Parishes

The Rector of the The Fellside Team of Parishes, serving the communities of Barton, Bilsborrow, Bleasdale, Goosnargh and Whitechapel is the Rev. Stephen Cooper.

Stephen said: "Holy Week and Easter take us to the heart of our humanity and our relationship with God.

"In it we face both the worst of humanity and the best, and in that darkest of places - the cross - we meet in Jesus the God who saves, the God who transforms, the God of hope,"

A full list of services for the Benefice is as follows:

• Palm Sunday, 10th April: Evensong 6:30pm at  Goosnargh
• Monday 11th April: Compline 7:30pm at Bilsborrow
• Tuesday 12th April: Compline 7:30pm at Barton
• Wednesday 13th April: Compline 7:30pm at Whitechapel
• Maundy Thursday 14th April Chrism Eucharist 11.00am at Blackburn Cathedral, and Communion 7:30pm at Goosnargh
• Good Friday 15th April: Stations Walk 9:30am at Bleasdale (with BVCT + Jacob’s Join Lunch). Tenebrae 2:00pm at Barton
• Holy Saturday 16th April: Family Service 4:00pm at Whitechapel . Vigil 7:30pm at Whitechapel
• Easter Day 17th April Easter Praise 6.30pm at Bilsborrow.

St Helen's Church, Waddington

THE VICAR of St Helens church in Waddington, Fr Christopher Wood, is looking forward to the return of an important ecumenical Easter event this year.

Christopher said: "One of the things we have missed, that we can return to this Easter, is our Good Friday ecumenical walk of witness.

"At 9.30am on Good Friday morning our local Methodist congregation will bring their large cross to St Catherine's, West Bradford and everyone will walk to St Helen's, Waddington for the simple service.

“As St Helen's is a popular wedding church, the Easter weekend is filled with extra joy as there is a wedding on the Saturday and another on Easter Monday.

"It will be the beginning of this year's wedding season. To combine the joy of Easter with the  joy of wedding couples who have waited so long for their big day to arrive makes this Easter extra special."

St Paul's, Low Moor and Christ Church, Chatburn

THE REV Catherine Hale-Heighway, Associate Minister St Paul’s Low Moor and Christ Church Chatburn, says “I’m delighted that after two years of Covid we will be able to launch 'Experience Easter Outside' from Palm Sunday.

Experience Easter Outside is a resource to help schools and churches to explore Easter in a different way utilising our outdoor spaces.

It incorporates four stations of the cross and with the help of a leaflet available from church enables people to reflect on the Easter story as they journey round our church grounds. Our local schools will be invited to journey with us when they return after the Easter Break.

We have also launched Lego Church which has increased our children's presence at St Paul's from an average of 2 to 18.  We are with the impact of this initiative.

Services here during Holy Week are: Maundy Thursday 7.30 St Pauls- Benefice Service

Good Friday 10.30 St Mary’s Clitheroe, who are celebrating their 900th anniversary. A service for Clitheroe Churches Together in Partnership followed by a procession to the Castle.

Easter Day 9.30 Holy Communion and 11.00 at Chatburn. Breakfast will be available from 9.00 at Christ Church

St George’s, St Laurence’s and St Peter’s in Chorley

TYPICAL of the ‘return to normality’ are the parishes of St George’s, St Laurence’s and St Peter’s in Chorley, where a full programme of worship and getting together has been planned for Easter Week.

The itinerary is as follows:

• 10th April - Palm Sunday 9.30am (at St George’s) - with Passion Play
• 11th April - Holy Monday 7.30pm (at St George’s)
• 12th April - Holy Tuesday 7.30pm (at St Laurence’s)
• 13th April - Holy Wednesday 7.30pm (at St Peter’s)
• 14th April - Maundy Thursday 7.30pm (at St George’s)
• 15th April - Good Friday 1.30pm (at St Peter’s)
• 16th April - Holy Saturday 7.30pm (at St Laurence’s) - with Passion Play
• 17th April - Easter Sunday 9.30am (at St George’s)

Parish priest at St George’s, Fr Mike Print, says: “All are welcome at all of the services and all of the churches over the Easter period, and St George’s is especially looking forward to the return of our Passion Play which will happen at a couple of our services.

"We’re also excited to share this special week with two of the other churches in our town. We’re praying that many people will come to experience the love of God as we exit the pandemic but continue with uncertainty in Europe and difficulties at home."

• For more information visit www.stgeorgechorley.co.uk.

Accrington, St Paul and Baxenden, St John

THE VICAR of Accrington, St Paul and Baxenden, St John, the Revd Amanda Marshall, is looking forward to her first Easter in the parish

Amanda said: “We are re-instating our ‘Walk of Witness’ up the Coppice in Accrington, after two years off, on Good Friday in the morning.

“For me as the new vicar of two churches in Accrington, it felt a good opportunity to do something together as both churches, but also to be part of the wider church in Accrington and to support our Christian secondary school, St Christophers. 

“I am hoping some of us will walk from St John’s to the start of the walk and then walk up the Coppice and have a short service on the top by the cross and then return for toasted hot cross buns at St Paul’s our sister church.

"I could talk a lot about walking, prayer, witness, hope – I feel this walk represents so much as we rise out of the pandemic and hope again in the Lord.”

Nelson St Paul's and St Mary's 

AT Nelson St Paul's and St Mary's Churches, Fr Guy Jamieson is also looking to a return to normality.

Guy said: “We have all-on to ensure the essentials happen here due to the effects of the past two years. However, we have found it to be an opportunity to teach afresh about the all-encompassing life of Holy Week which is already there in the Tradition.

"The Masses at Easter will be using children's rites, so they learn afresh but are not deprived the Lord's own gift.

"And we continue to dig out traditions often forgotten or overlooked, but which are rooted in the sanctity of the Lord's Passion. Seven Last Words from the Cross, and Stations of the Cross have found a new and refreshed appreciation.

Bowland Benefice

OUT IN the country again, the Bowland Benefice is holding the traditional liturgies associated with Holy Week.

Parish Priest, the Rev Mark Williams, says: “We seek to echo the sentiments expressed by Canon Angela Tilby in the Church Times for a traditional Holy Week, but in a gentle and village church style.”

On Maundy Thursday at Grindleton there is a sung communion with stripping of the altar at 7.30pm. The last gospel will be read outside in the garden, surrounded by a beautiful rural landscape.

On Good Friday the children are gathering in Bolton by Bowland to make the Easter Garden at 10am. A short devotional service will be held in church at the same time. A similar act of worship will occur in Gisburn for the last hour of the cross at 2pm.

Easter Sunday there are Eucharists at Gisburn and Grindleton at 9:30am and at Bolton by Bowland at 11:15am where the Paschal Candle will be lit.

Christ Church Parbold and All Saints Appley Bridge

AT THE joint benefice of Christ Church Parbold and All Saints Appley Bridge, a particular highlight on Easter Saturday will be the return of the Easter Family Vigil at All Saints.

Families gather around a fire outside the church and after a short liturgy everyone tucks into Hot Cross Buns.

Vicar, the Rev Sue Timmins, says: This will be the first time since 2019 that we have gathered for the vigil. We are delighted to be able to do so, and both churches are looking forward to Easter with renewed enthusiasm for the Gospel message.

"We are so grateful that once more we can come together as a church family to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, and we will welcome everyone who wants to join us during Holy Week.

The itinerary for Easter here is as follows:

• Thursday 14th April at 7.30pm, our traditional Maundy Thursday service with cafe layout in church. The service features a simple donated supper of bread and home made soup, and in response those who attend will be invited to make a donation to Christian Aid.
• This collection will mark the beginning of the church’s ” Big Breakfast” fundraising efforts for Christian Aid Week 2022.
• On Good Friday 15th April the All Saints congregation will join its sister church at Christ Church Parbold for an hour at the Cross at 10.30 am.
• On Saturday 16th April, Easter Eve, during a Family Service around the fire at 6.30 pm (lasting about 30 minutes) we’ll anticipate the joy of Easter with our fire basket, water and candles, and hot cross buns.
• Easter Sunday 17th April All Saints will celebrate the Resurrection with an All Age Service of Holy Communion at 10.30 am in church, followed by an Easter Egg hunt in the churchyard for children.

All Saints, Hesketh with Becconsall

AT All Saints, Hesketh with Becconsall the Rector, the Rev David Dickinson has outlined a busy few days over Easter for the church family.

“We are having a solemn Eucharist on Maundy Thursday, then an hour at the Cross on Good Friday will be led by our children and young people.

"We construct a 'Trophy of the Cross' - the tableaux being build piece by piece by the younger children, as the older children tell the tragedy of the Crucifixion.

“After our solemnities, we will go to the Church hall for hot cross buns, a brew and a time of fellowship. The odd crème egg might be hidden away and will need finding! 

Our Foodbank and Ukraine Appeal (for International Aid Trust) will run along side our Holy Week and Easter day events.

Easter Morning will be marked by a Celebration Eucharist, BCP at 9am, Common Worship at 10:30am; the sacrament of Baptism will be celebrated at 12:30pm and we will welcome people to join us for a time of private prayer and reflection at 3pm.”

St John's Ellel

A NUMBER of events are planned for Holy Week and Easter at St. John's church, Ellel. 

• On Maundy Thursday at 7pm, there’s a reflective Holy Communion service.
• On Good Friday at 11am, a Messy Church special will be held in St. John's Ellel school, starting with fish finger butties and following a Good Friday/Easter theme.  At 2:00pm, an Hour at the Cross - a service of readings and meditations as we reflect on the trial and crucifixion of Jesus.
• On Easter Day at 10:30am Holy Communion will be celebrated, followed by an Easter Egg hunt for the children and sparkling wine and hot cross buns for the adults.

The Rev Craig Abbott, Vicar of St John’s, Ellel, says: “I have been so impressed with the bravery of the congregation members as we emerge from the pandemic and it has also been great to welcome new people to our church following the periods of lockdown.”

Salesbury St Peter

THE REV Elizabeth McLean, Vicar of Salesbury St Peter, is looking forward to a week long Easter celebration.

Elizabeth says: “Here at St Peter’s, Salesbury, we are planning a week of daily worship in recognition that we have not celebrated Easter as we would like for two years. Our services this year are themed ‘Beauty from Ashes’. They include a service of Wholeness and Healing and our Music Director has composed original music for our choir.

"We hope to bring a new sense of unity and purpose for our ministry and mission as we remember our Lord’s precious gift of life together."

Events include: 

• MAUNDY THURSDAY 14th April: 9.15am Morning Prayer, 7.30pm A SERVICE OF WHOLENESS AND HEALING with the Anointing of Oil. Holy Communion including Taizé worship.
• GOOD FRIDAY 15th April 10am ‘GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD’ Reflections at the Cross. St Peter’s choir accompany our reflections with specially composed music.
• SATURDAY 16th April: 8pm THE SERVICE OF LIGHT Fireside Celebration. Begins around the fire outside of church, and leads into the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection.
• EASTER SUNDAY – 17TH April: 7am ‘The Garden of Resurrection’ - A short service of prayer around the baptismal font in St Peter’s Garden of Remembrance. 10.30am EASTER SUNDAY CELEBRATION with Holy Communion, St Peter’s choir lead our joyful acclamations: ‘He is Risen!’

Christ Church, Lancaster

Everyone is warmly invited to attend events taking place at Christ Church, Lancaster, during Holy Week.

Rev. Carol Backhouse, Vicar, says: "Christ's death shows us that He carries the suffering of our world, and in the face of darkness God's power will raise us to life.

"As we journey together with Christ through Holy Week we offer Him all who continue to suffer injustice, pain and violence, knowing that He will bring His hope, light and peace."

Easter services at Christ Church include:

• Maundy Thursday:  7.30pm Eucharist to remember the Last Supper, followed by a Vigil Watch until midnight.
• Good Friday: 9.30am Stations of the Cross.10.30am Family Service, making Easter Gardens to remember the story of the first Good Friday, with Hot Cross buns to share. 2pm Last Hour at the Cross service.
• Holy Saturday: 7.30pm Easter Vigil sharing the story of God's saving power, including lighting the Easter Fire.
• Easter Day: Festal Eucharists at 8.30am and 10.30am, with Easter eggs for everyone.
• Christ Church is on Wyresdale Road, LA1 3EA

St John's Whittle-le-Woods and Clayton Brook

ST JOHN’S  and Clayton Brook Churches are looking forward to an Easter not overshadowed by Covid.

On Thursday 14^th April, for the first time in three years, they will be coming together for what had been their annual Maundy Thursday meal.

Meeting in Clayton Brook Community Church they will share a Hot Pot meal and Communion together, reflecting on Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples.

Friday 15^th April will see the parish meet together in St John’s Church in Whittle-le-Woods at 11am till noon, in a reflective service, thinking about how Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross has brought us life.

Easter Day, 17^th April, they will be celebrating with an All-Age communion service at 9.30am in St John’s and 11am at Clayton Brook.

Their grand finale on Easter Day will be an Easter Praise service at 6pm in St John’s, which has been described by the vicar, the Rev Philip Venables, as “like an Easter Carol Service”.

He says, “We all love singing carols at Christmas, so why not do something similar at Easter? 

"We have had a difficult couple of years, with times when we have not been able to sing at all. So we are looking forward to raising our voices, if not the roof, in praise of our glorious Saviour, who died and rose to give us life. Do come along and join us.”

St Thomas Barrowford and St Mary's Newchurch in Pendle

IT'S FULL ON for Easter this year at St Thomas Barrowford and St Mary's Newchurch in Pendle. 

Parish priest the Rev Julie Smith is welcoming the chance to fully celebrate the Easter festival and the key Easter message with the two church families

Julie said: “After two years of restrictions we're looking forward at both churches to being able to meet and worship in person again although we still have the occasional Zoom service for those not able to join us in church yet. 

“We are particularly pleased to be able to have an outdoor act of witness in Newchurch on Good Friday. We're also planning an outside Easter Garden in the Churchyard, with activities available in the Church Porch. 

“At St Thomas our wonderful angels on the windows continue to cheer and inspire us as we approach Easter, and we look forward to them being joined by an outside Easter garden, complete with angels, to announce the glorious news that He is Risen! 

“And it will be a joy to have a baptism on Easter Day, as due to the Covid restrictions the family have had to postpone twice."

The rundown at both churches is as follows:  

• Wednesday 15th April 7pm Stations of the Cross using Artwork by the artist Monica Welch. 
• Thursday 16th April 6.30pm: Family Meal for Maundy Thursday (everyone invited and we are using this as part of our Confirmation Preparation). 
• Friday 17th April 2pm: Good Friday service based on the Stephen Cottrell book The Things He Carried. 
• Saturday 18th April 10am: Morning prayer in the Lady Chapel. 
• Sunday 17th April 11am: All Age Easter Communion Service with Baptism. 
• St Mary's Newchurch in Pendle:  Friday 17th April 10am: Walk of Witness around the village telling the story of the Passion followed by hot cross buns and coffee in the church. 
• Sunday 17th April 9.30am: Holy Communion for Easter Day followed by Easter Egg hunt in the Churchyard. 

Round up of some events from other churches ... 

• THE VICAR of All Saints New Longton, the Rev Tom Woolford, who became parish priest in 2020, outlined a busy Easter weekend: “We have a Maundy Thursday service at 7pm, Good Friday Service of the Cross at 2:30pm, and an outdoor Easter Vigil starting in the dark at 5am on Easter Sunday, with a 'new fire' ceremony,  followed by champagne breakfast. We're having a 9am traditional Easter Eucharist, and at 10:30am, a family Eucharist with baptisms, followed by an egg hunt in our church field.
• MATT ROWLEY, Church Army lead evangelist at Blackpool Centre of Mission, says: “Our Easter activities are as follows. There’s a Good Friday meal at Argosy Community Centre, at 12:30pm. A chance to meet with others, and enjoy a meal with short reflection and prayers. This event is part of our outreach as a church plant and will mainly be ‘unchurched’ people in attendance. On Easter Sunday at Hope Community Church there will be a ‘Sunday Easter Celebration,’ 3pm to 4:30pm at, The Boathouse. Our church family will enjoy craft and activities, with worship and a talk about the resurrection.
• THE VICAR of Adlington St Pauls, The Rev Graeme Buttery, said: “It is a very traditional Holy Week for us, with children involved. We are also taking the opportunity to restore the chalice to the laity, and the last Covid restriction will be gone!”
• THE REV. Dave Hanson, vicar of Preston St Stephen’s church,  said: “We organised Easter Experience for the children from our local church school: an interactive retelling of the Easter story. This was at the end of March so it would fall within the school term.”
   

Ronnie Semley and Mark Ashley, April 2022