Chartford Trees

Oxted Web Design

NFU Mutual

Morr & Co

Lifestyle Health Store

Curve Garden Rooms

Holbrook

Homecroft

IT Aide

Alex Jones Funeral Directors

Green Leaves

Kent Heating Solutions

MR Computing

Westerham Cars

TC Hillier

Penumbra Blinds

Oliver James

Moorgate Accountants

Michael Heyburn

The Investment Boutique

Shard Solutions

Easter Greetings from the Oxted Churches

Soon after the Christmas decorations had been taken down Easter eggs and hot cross buns started to appear in the shops, these for many people being the main symbols of Easter. For Christians however the six weeks leading up to Easter are known as Lent, a time when many people give up something – often chocolate, before celebrating Easter Sunday.

To Christians Easter Sunday is the most important festival of the church’s year when we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus preceded in some churches by a week beforehand of special services. The Sunday before Easter Sunday is known as Palm Sunday when we celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, greeted by an ecstatic crowd who were waving palms, hailing him as a king. However as the week, known as Holy Week, progressed things changed. On the Thursday Jesus celebrated a last meal with his friends. Known as the Last Supper this is now celebrated in the services of Holy Communion or The Mass. The day itself is now generally known as Maundy or Holy Thursday and in normal years is marked nationally by a special service attended by the Queen at which she gives out Maundy money of silver coins to deserving elderly – the number of recipients reflecting her age.

Recipients of Maundy money are given two leather purses, one red and one white; the first contains an ordinary amount of coinage which symbolises the Queen’s gift for food and clothing, and the second contains Maundy coins to the value of her age. The recipients change every year, in accordance to where the Queen is visiting, and the money is awarded to individuals who have made a difference to churches and communities in their town.

The following day, now known as Good Friday, Jesus was condemned to death and crucified with his body being laid to rest in a tomb. On the Sunday however early visitors found the tomb empty and spoke to a risen Christ – a cause for celebration and some joyful services on Easter Sunday.

Despite some remaining uncertainties and people’s caution, the Oxted and Tandridge Churches (All Saints, King’s Church, St. Mary’s, St. Peter’s (Tandridge) and The United Reformed Church), will celebrate Easter and the events leading up to it and invite you to join them in doing so. To take note of some people’s uncertainties about attending services just like the community we are part of, the churches have moved online. Instead of distributing our Easter card listing the times of our services from Palm Sunday onwards we ask you to refer to our church websites to discover what is available. The website details are set out below along with details of the Easter Sunday services. Some churches will be providing streamed or Zoomed services and links to video recordings of all the special services so that there will be plenty of opportunities to celebrate Holy Week and the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday (April 17th), together.

CHURCH DETAILS:

All Saints Church Oxted, Tel No. 01883 627762

Website address www.oxtedandwarlinghamparish.org

Streamed services at www.stpeterstandridge.uk www.churchservices.tv/oxted

Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil and First Mass of Easter 8.30pm

Easter Sunday – Mass 11.00am

St. Mary’s, Oxted & St. Peter’s, Tandridge Tel No. 01883 714263

Website addresses www.stmarysoxted.uk

Easter Day 6.00am – Dawn service (St. M)

8.00am – Holy Communion (St. M & at St. P)

9.30am – Family Communion (St. Mary’s)

11.00am – Family Service (St. Peter’s)