Churches across the district held virtual Easter Sunday services this morning to ensure that the key day in the Christian calendar could still be shared by parishioners and other viewers, in their own homes.
Ripon cathedral has been streaming services daily. Over the last month, 10,000 people have tuned in to the youtube broadcasts.
The Dean of Ripon, The Very Reverend John Dobson, held a live youtube broadcast this morning so people could still connect on this special day. He told the Stray Ferret:
“The wonderful thing is that we are finding daily more people are joining us in this time of need. I think there is little doubt that we will continue to stream services regularly when we are worshipping once again in the cathedral.
On this festal day, I wish everyone in the Harrogate district a very happy Easter at a time when we certainly need the hope that the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us.”
Ripon Cathedral
Reverend Darryl Christopher Hall, Vicar at The United Parish of Upper Nidderdale pre-recorded their Easter day communion from Gillfield Lead Mines, Greenhow. He told the Stray Ferret.
“In these unusual times we find ourselves connected but dispersed. We live in the cathedral of Gods creation and while churches are closed we are so lucky to have these landmarks to conduct our services.”
The service was posted on The United Parish of Upper Nidderdale Facebook page and on youtube so people were able to watch the service this morning.
Reverend Darryl Hall also rang the church bells at St Cuthbert’s Church, Pateley Bridge at 10:30 am this morning. The service was then broadcast on a loudspeaker so people in the village could come out into their gardens to listen.
Revd Darryl Hall, Service from Gillfield Mines, Greenhow.
Socially distant Easter Bunny hops around Harrogate
Easter is usually a time for meeting up with family and friends, taking part in Easter egg hunts and enjoying the outdoors. However, this year people are being told to stay at home and abide by government guidelines in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus.
There has still been some ‘socially distanced’ entertainment for families in Harrogate, as Rascal the Easter Bunny has been dancing down the streets of Harrogate.
Melanie Vauvelle Don, who runs Rascals Entertainment in Harrogate, has organised the Bunny walks, which are taking place each day over the Easter Weekend. She said:
“It’s a family activity, Cameron my husband dresses up as Rascal, myself and my son Harrison pull along the jukebox… We use our one hour of exercise each day to go out and cheer up our neighbourhood. Everyone loves it, young and old!”
They have taken a different route each day, starting from their address in Hutton Gate and walking along nearby streets.
Monday will be the last walk and the route can be found on the Rascals Entertainment Facebook page.
Rascal the Easter Bunny
This Easter Sunday message is written by John Dobson, the Dean of Ripon Cathedral.
Happy Easter! It seems odd to be wishing people a happy Easter this year, when social isolation leads to us all keeping apart from each other. It seems odd not to have the cathedral packed with joyful worshippers. But all of this makes the message of Easter so much more important.
Many of us have been taking part in the great national cheer and applause on Thursday evenings. It’s good to see the country so united. This is a sincere, heart-felt expression of gratitude for essential workers. These include those in the forefront of the fight against the Covid-19 virus – NHS staff and other care workers; and others providing vital services – in supermarkets, food production and distribution, running schools, emptying bins… and so on. Some of these are certainly risking their own wellbeing in their self-sacrificing service of others.
We probably all cheered to ourselves when hearing that the Prime Minster was out of intensive care; as when we hear of friends and family recovering from coronavirus symptoms. Life is seen to be conquering that which threatens it.
Both these themes: self-sacrificing service, and life conquering those forces that would threaten it, go deep to the heart of what we celebrate this weekend.
Good Friday each year reminds us of the ultimate act of self-sacrificing service. Jesus gave himself totally for our sake. At a moment in history he showed that God does this all the time because of his love for us. I believe it is this divine love we see doing its work through all those people we cheer on Thursday evenings.
Yes, this is a strange Easter. But Easter should always be strange. Who expects the dead to rise? Some disciples simply couldn’t accept it – do you remember doubting Thomas? Yet we believe the resurrection to be possible because God’s life-creating, life-sustaining love can be conquered by nothing, certainly not human frailty and death. So, life does conquer death.
In every situation in life, joyful and tragic, God’s love remains steadfast – on earth and in heaven. This is the good news that, if we accept it, can transform life and give us hope and courage in the face of all suffering and death. We do right to wish each other a happy, if strange, Easter.
An Easter Prayer:
Risen Lord, on this strange yet joyful Easter Day, help us to see that you have conquered human failings, put death to flight, and have assured us that we remain in your love on earth and in heaven.
In these challenging times:
banish our fears;
strengthen all working courageously in the NHS and other care providers;
uphold all working tirelessly in supermarkets and many other organisations to serve our needs;
and give hope to every situation as we celebrate again your resurrection from the dead.
For your name’s sake. Amen.