New Beginnings

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‘At Easter, Christians celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, which gives new life and new hope. This booklet contains hymns, readings and prayers that form a special Easter service emphasising the importance of bringing new life and hope to those in need.

Nothing in this booklet is prescriptive; feel free to interpret any of the ideas as you wish.’

Reverend Rod CorkeShelter supporter at St Mary MagdaleneChurch, Taunton

HymnChrist the Lord is risen today

GreetingHappy Easter to you all! Today we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. On the cross Jesus broke the power of sin and death and has given our broken world new life and hope. We stand together as witnesses to the power of His love for us and we proclaim…

Leader: Christ has risen.

All: He has risen indeed! Alleluia!

ConfessionJesus Christ, our risen Lord, we bow our heads in sorrow for our sins and for turning away from you.

All: Lord, forgive us. Save us and help us.

We have not lived by the power of your resurrection.

All: Lord forgive us. Save us and help us.

We have been comforted by our own dark thoughts, which have blinded us to Your powerful love.

All: Lord forgive us. Save us and help us.

We have lived for the pleasures of this world and forgotten our eternal home with You.

All: Lord forgive us. Save us and help us.

Risen Lord, lift us up from the darkness of this world and set our minds to serve You by serving others. Show us Your glory and power and raise us to new life. Amen.

AbsolutionGod is compassionate and loving,

He is slow to anger and forgives your sins. He lifts you when you fall, hears your cries and mends your brokenness; through Jesus our Lord.

HymnCrown Him with many crowns

ReadingJeremiah 31.1-6

CreedLet us declare our faith in the risen Lord:

Jesus died for our sins

As it says in the scriptures,

He was buried

He was raised to life on the third day

Afterwards he appeared to his followers,

And to all the apostles,

This we have received and this we believe.

PrayerDear Lord,

As we rejoice in you on this Easter Sunday,

Help us to experience your New Life that transforms and makes all things new,

You have no hands to work accept ours,

Help us to see the need to care particularly for those who face the challenge of inadequate housing,

We lift to you the work of Shelter and ask that those who seek help may find good provision and a listening ear.

ReadingColossians 3.1-4

HymnThine be the glory

Talk Use the case study (on page 4) as an example of a child that needed, and was brought, a new beginning. Talk about how through the support and help of others, a situation that was thought to be hopeless was turned around, and now the young child can look forward to the future full of hope.

Service continues page 5

shelter.org.uk

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Louis’ story

Eight-year-old Louis, his parents and siblings were staying with extended family in a cramped two-bedroom fl at. Desperate to get their own space, they were delighted when the council found them a temporary fl at of their own. But their hopes were dashed when they realised their new home was infested with rats, and the mattresses riddled with bedbugs.

Overcrowded, unsanitary living conditions were making the whole family miserable and sick, and Louis’ mother, who suffers from a serious long-term health problem, was beside herself with worry for their wellbeing.

The dire housing situation was taking its toll on Louis’ education and self-esteem, too. His teachers felt he needed intensive academic support, and encouragement to build confi dence, so they referred him to a Shelter Keys to the Future project.

We gave Louis one-to-one support with his reading, and helped him with his homework. The Shelter project also paid for him to attend a local football club, and enrolled him in an animation project, to improve his group working skills.

During this time, Shelter also helped the family fi nd a permanent home that was clean, safe, and big enough for their needs. Louis’ schoolwork and confi dence are vastly improved, and the family now feel they can fi nally put down roots, and begin afresh.

shelter.org.uk

OffertoryTake a collection for the work of Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity. We are thankful for their work to fi ght against bad housing and change people’s lives by helping them to have new beginnings.

HymnTo God be the glory

Closing messageIn these diffi cult times, many families are struggling to make ends meet. Talk about how losing your job can cause terrible hardship for many families, sometimes even leading to homelessness.

Now, more than ever, people are looking for hope and the chance for a fresh start. Churches need to continue to fi nd ways to help, including supporting charities like Shelter, who are on the front line in the fi ght to relieve the terrible suffering caused by bad housing and homelessness.

The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest source of hope. When Mary Magdalene came into the garden, she had no hope. Her world had fallen apart – and then she met with the risen Lord!

Christians bear witness to the life-changing experience of meeting with Jesus. At Easter time we should all be challenged to love and serve others in need.

‘Father, help us to experience your New Life that transforms and makes all things new.’

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Children’s activity (optional)If you normally incorporate an activity for the children of the congregation, then you could use this one below:

Arrange an Easter egg hunt. Each egg has a different letter written on it, when put together spell, ‘New Life’. Get the children to arrange the eggs in the right order, and talk about the resurrection and ask: What does ‘New Life’ mean for us?

We’ve created some Easter egg templates for you to print and cut out – download them from shelter.org/churches

Other details

If you need collection envelopes, or more copies of this booklet, please call us on 0300 330 1234, email churches@shelter.org.uk or visit shelter.org.uk/churches

RH3622 To protect the identity of Shelter’s clients, models have been used in photographs. Photography: Kate Stanworth.

shelter.org.uk

Help families in need

By raising funds for Shelter this Easter, your congregation can help people in desperate need find a home that’s safe, affordable and permanent.

A gift from your church could help homeless and badly housed people in so many ways:

£1 could answer a call to Shelter’s helpline from someone in urgent need.

£15 will pay for extra textbooks for a child whose education has been disrupted by homelessness.

£25 could buy a microwave so a rehoused family can make hot meals while they save for a cooker.

£45 could help train a Shelter adviser to deal with vulnerable adults, and protect children at risk.

£140 will pay to transfer a family from a condemned property

into a safe, secure home.

shelter.org.uk/churches

Until there’s a home for everyoneShelter believes everyone should have a home. We help people find and keep a home. We campaign for decent housing for all.

Shelter 88 Old Street London EC1V 9HU Scotiabank House 6 South Charlotte Street Edinburgh EH2 4AW Registered charity in England and Wales (263710) and in Scotland (SC002327)

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