Easter 2023: How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?
Welcome to the home page for our 2023 Easter materials. As we publish each day’s events, you will be able to access them from the green buttons below. We pray that these resources will be a blessing to all who choose to journey with us during this season.
We invite you to check back to this page, as our Easter resources evolve…
Our Theme
Join us for this year’s Easter Workshop as we explore our guiding question: ‘How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?’ We will break it down into the sub-questions:
How can we sing? In the desert, in confusion, when we feel or are voiceless, when the temple is gone or changed, when we are being mocked – how can we sing? Songs can be a prophetic sound that bring both sorrow and hope.
How can we sing the Lord’s song? The Psalms are the songbook of the Bible and Jesus himself prayed these songs. For the exiles in Babylon there is no temple, but Yahweh still speaks. When we breathe deeply and let our shoulders drop, the song of the Lord can begin to emerge. When paradox no longer frustrates us, but instead lures us in closer with the promise of wonder, the sense of the presence of Jesus can reveal a new song. When we encounter Jesus in the dark of the tomb, the dark is no longer an enemy, and we remember – Sunday is coming.
How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land? How can you keep hope when ‘Home’ has changed? When the political and economic situation and the state of the planet is in crisis? How might we remain faithful in our ‘moveable tent’? What would it mean to sing and to live as those who follow the risen Prince of Peace?
Not only ‘How can we sing’ but ‘How can we (fill in the blank) the Lord’s song?’ Unleash your creativity! We only complete each cycle of our Hero’s journey if we can express and share our stories and treasures from along the way.
Resources and Connections
Each day a pre-recorded talk will be uploaded to the relevant page for the day (see links below) along with questions for your own reflection. You can also join in with several live streams (these links will also be posted to the relevant day’s page below; all times are GMT+1 / BST):
In Person
If you are in or near Northumberland, you’re welcome to join us for either or both of the in-person gatherings above:
Good Friday: we’ll meet at Cuthbert’s Cave carpark at 2:00pm (National Trust carpark, on the Holburn to Chatton Road – TD15 2UJ)
Easter Sunday: we’ll be on Holy Island at 12:15pm at Aidan’s statue (outside St. Mary’s Church)
Online
If you are a Companion, Novice, Postulant or Friend of the Community, you will have received an email with information about a daily online connection space where you can reflect and pray with others. If you missed that information, send us an email at monasticliving@northumbriacommunity.org to request those details.
Daily Links
The links below will become ‘live’ on the relevant day (and hopefully early enough for those of you in Australasia!)
Artwork
The artwork above is inspired by the question, ‘How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?’, our focus for Easter. It was created by Francesca Ross, who designed the covers and illustrations for the latest editions of Celtic Daily Prayer Books 1 & 2.
She says: “I started with a stave and a treble and bass clef, and then I added swirling interlinking lines to echo the complexity of music twisting and turning in unexpected directions. I chose purple as a colour of kingship of the Lord whose song we are singing.”
Supporting the Life and Work of the Northumbria Community
Northumbria Community does not ask for a fee to cover the costs of providing resources, such as these Easter materials. However, we are a registered charity and are always grateful for donations that support the life and work of the wider Community as a whole. If you would like to encourage us in this way, you can follow the link below to make a donation.
Thank you and we pray your Easter journey is marked with God’s song!