00.05am Bedtime was short-lived. Me and Mum ended up going downstairs to staple Nathan’s orders of service together, and now Soph is up.

6.30am He is risen! I know Jesus rose some point in the night between Saturday and Sunday, but for me, I really feel it when the sun is up on Easter Day!

With the clock change, I’ve had 4 and a half hours sleep. There’s no way I won’t be napping today!

8.25am I’m up, showered, dressed and on my way out of the door for our BCP service at 9am.

8.40am Spotted this on the path from the family fun afternoon.

9.45am I’m honestly not a huge fan of the Book of Common Prayer, but even I couldn’t help but smile with Easter joy today! Checking the service book, we had one more at the early service this year than last. At the main service last Easter Day, we had 40 adults and three children. I’d love to top that, but I’m not sure we will.

10.05am Dad has arrived and he’s brought me a bacon sandwich! What a hero! One Easter Day, he delivered a fresh hash brown straight from Macdonalds to the church door, but this was even better!

12.30pm I don’t have many words for what happened this morning! I walked out of the vestry, saw the crowd and could have cried! We had 68 adults and 8 children! I was completely blown away.

It’s been the toughest Holy Week yet for me. They’ve all had their different flavours, as anybody who has been following for a while will know: Holy Week as a Deacon, a priest, in lockdown, pregnant, as a vicar, with a baby, and my first at ASSF. But there have been more unwelcome distractions this week than before. So to see church so full after such a long slog of a week was completely overwhelming and amazing!

There were a couple of surprises today: the cross prayer station from earlier in the week looked this this:

But as if this morning, looks like this:

This remarkable creation came over the pennines from Retford earlier this week. A church local to Mum and Dad made it and had it hanging from their bell tower. They asked if anybody else wanted it, and Mum said she would have it and let different groups and churches borrow it when they wanted it.

So I asked if I could have it for Easter! It looks like a big hill of hope, draped over the crosses like that! Lots of people have stopped to take photos and read the words on the railings too.

The other surprise, you’ll see from the photo at the top, was Father Christmas calling into church! He interrupted my sermon to come and spend some time with us, explaining that he only does what he does because of Easter. Easter means nothing without Christmas, and Christmas means nothing without Easter! I get on with this FC ever so well, so bouncing off each other in the talk was really fun!

I drew inspiration from a picture I saw on Facebook last year of FC coming to an Easter Service and I ran with it! It went down really well, even if a few people might have thought I was mad when I mentioned it!

So, with the surprise on the way into church, our special visitor, a music group with guitar and cello and a good turn out to make the already brilliant singing even better, we had a terrific morning. And now I’m going home for lunch because I am absolutely shattered.

1.15pm There’s nothing like coming home to find that Nathan has also had a brilliant morning! A good turn out and brilliant atmosphere at St Giles too, by all accounts.

1.45pm And crash. I’m full, tired and overjoyed. There’s no way I can leave this house again today!

3pm Nathan and Soph have been to see his family, and now they’re home. I’ve given Soph her present from a lovely couple at my church, which includes a toy Marie from the Aristocats so that’s what we’re watching. Our best friends are coming over in a bit, so I’ve got a couple of beds to make up, but thankfully, Mum, Dad, Gran and Grandpa have done such a good job that there’s not much for me to do in preparation.

10.30pm The four clergy and their offspring are all in bed, shattered from long and full weeks. We’ve had a curry and a good long chat about the week. The girls have played and blown off steam by drenching each other in the bath. And we’re all ready for a good long sleep.

I’ve learned lots this Holy Week, as I hope to do every time. This week, I’ve learned that prayerful risk taking pays off. I’ve learned that it’s probably best not to try and pick next month’s hymns when your head is too full of other stuff. I’ve learned to say ‘that’s entirely your problem and not mine’ – it was very freeing! I’ve learned that ASSF is my safe space when I’m overwhelmed. I’ve learned that small sips of water and a plain biscuit will help me get through when I’m feeling sick.

What’s not news to me is the transforming hope and joy that is found in Jesus. That is the same yesterday, today, and all days.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

See you soon x