Easter at Holy Trinity Hastings

---

It's now been six weeks since we returned from our wonderful 6 month experience in the UK and we, the car and the caravan are ready to go.

We have been attending St James Anglican Church in Traralgon which is lead by Cannon Jeff Richardson. The services have been traditional from the prayer and hymn book and the sermons have been very thought provoking. We have provided Cannon Jeff with a write up of who we are, what we have been doing and where God is sending us, well as much as we understand at the moment and we have added Cannon Jeff to our Blog updates.

On Tuesday 15th April we hooked up the caravan and headed off to Hastings to share Holy week with our family, friends and congregation. Once again Rosie and Greg have been very good to us and allowed us to park the caravan at their house, we can't thank Rosie and Greg enough for all their help when we visit Hastings.

The week started with Maundy Thursday and services 10.30am and 7.30pm with the 7.30pm service being very special and moving especially with the washing of hands (instead of feet) and the stripping of the Altar.

Friday 18th April was Good Friday the most solemn day in Holy week. We started the day at Holy Trinity with a 9.00am devotional service which included participation from members of the congregation, we were privileged to be part of those that were given parts. At the conclusion of the Holy Trinity service we walked to the 'Immaculate Conception' Roman Catholic Church for the 'Walk of Witness'. The walk is usually around the Hasting foreshore however due to heavy rain the walk was restricted to the church where the young people from the Catholic Church, dressed in costume, read the stations of the cross, great experience for them and for us. This part of the service was followed by morning tea of hot cross buns and scones.

HE IS RISEN - HE IS RISEN INDEED - HALLILUIA

On a mild still April morning we started our Easter Sunday celebrations by attending the dawn service on the Hastings foreshore at 6.30am. It was a combined service of Holy Trinity and the Hastings Uniting Church congregations where 20 people, lead by the Rev Fiona Morrison from the Uniting Church, thanked God for the resurection of Jesus Christ and shared Holy Communion to a backdrop of God's creation the rising dawn. The service was followed by a nice hot cuppa and several hot cross buns.

The dawn service was followed by the Holy Trinity 9.30am Holy Communion service, how special are the services where the church is full of not only adults but lots and lots of children. The message from this service was "Go and Tell" everyone the good news, something that connects with us as this is part of what we feel God is sending us out to do.

Before leaving Holy Trinity for the UK Evelyn was sacristan at Holy Trinity, a job she enjoyed doing for God and for Alex so when we left it was something she missed, but how good is our God as she had the opportunity to clear the Altar after the service, a special moment for Evelyn.

The service was again followed by a nice hot cuppa and more hot cross buns !!!!!!!!

So after the lows and highs of Holy week on Tuesday 22nd April it was time to hook up the caravan once more it was time to leave Hastings after a very special and spiritual week and head back to Traralgon.

During all of the Holy week services our prayers and thoughts were with all of those we have come to know and love at St Chads, St Marys and St Cuthbert's.

Now only 5 days before GO GO GO !!!!!!!! so stay tuned

---

Photos

Holy Tinity Hastings
The tomb mad by the children from an Easter Egg

Holy Trinity Hastings
HE IS RISEN - HE IS RISEB INDEED