Since the earliest days of Christianity, Easter has been the most important Christian festival celebrating Jesus’ Resurrection, which reminds us of the eternal hope that death does not have the last word on human destiny.
While it has a deep spiritual significance, Easter has been marked with great secular celebrations too such as Hot Cross Buns, Easter Bunny, Easter Eggs & Egg Hunt.
Easter is preceded by Good Friday when Christians believe Jesus Christ was crucified and died on the cross.
Besides fasting, praying, and contemplating on the Stations of the Cross at the Church Services recounting Jesus's painful crucifixion, Christians from different Church denominations, join together in Walks of Witness and street processions led by the Church clusters. In Luton, these were held in the Town Centre, Stopsley, and Bury Park areas. People stopped outside different Churches and shared Scripture readings, meditations, and prayers.
At the Good Friday Walk of Witness led by the Beech Hill Bury Park Council of Churches, Monsignor Kevin McGinnell of Holy Ghost Roman Catholic Church said, “Easter is not about the hope that challenges will go away; it is about the hope that we shall be able to see through the challenges no matter how severe and austere they are.”
C of E All Saints Vicar Revd Canon David Kesterton said, “The risen Jesus inspires us to know that the story can be different; that good can and will triumph and that all can be made new.”
Since Easter is about renewal and new life, Christians throughout the world are encouraged to reflect and play their part in making our world a better place.
Recalling the unbearable plight of displaced people, refugees, abused women and children, indigenous people, people with disabilities, the neglected, oppressed, and downtrodden, Luton Churches join the World Council of Churches (WCC) in calling upon all Christians to remember the Easter message that Christ makes all things new. “This assurance must stir and steer us into becoming agents and instruments of hope and light to the world”, stated the WCC General Secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay. He added, “It should give us the energy and desire to continue to work toward God’s justice, peace, reconciliation, and unity, enabling a better world for all creation!”
Christians carrying the Cross through the Bury Park area of Luton, as part of the Good Friday Walk of Witness, led by the Beech Hill Bury Park Council of Churches.
Christians praying together outside Oakdale Methodist Church, Luton, as part of the Good Friday Walk of Witness, led by the Beech Hill Bury Park Council of Churches.
Christians praying together outside Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Westbourne Rd, Luton, as part of the Good Friday Walk of Witness, led by the Beech Hill Bury Park Council of Churches.
Christians carrying the Cross through the Luton Town Centre, as part of the Good Friday Walk of Witness, led by the Churches Together in the Town Centre area.
Christians raising the Cross in St Mary’s Church grounds, as part of the Good Friday Walk of Witness, led by the Churches Together in the Town Centre area.