Observing Easter at St Paul’s

As we walked the Way of the Cross from Palm Sunday to Easter Day, there was a variety of options for us to observe Holy Week.

Compline was said at 7 pm on the first three evenings – Monday at Field Broughton, Tuesday at Staveley-in-Cartmel and Wednesday at St Paul’s in Grange.

Maundy Thursday we recalled the Last Supper with a Communion service which included foot washing and ended with the stripping of the sanctuary.

On Good Friday we spent a devotional hour at the foot of the Cross meditating on the ‘Things he carried’.  Saturday was a hive of activity as the church was decorated  -the flower arrangements, Easter garden and display boards.  At 8.30 in the evening we gathered round the fire outside Cartmel Priory to bring in the first light of Easter, and renew our baptismal vows.  At the end of the service, the new paschal candles from St Paul’s and the Fell Churches were lit for the first time from the Priory candle.

On Easter Day in spite of losing an hour overnight the ‘early birds’ met at 6.45 am in the dark at the Hampsfell Road carpark to watch the sun rise over the Bay for an ecumenical service led by the Rev’d David Edmondson, after which tea/coffee and hot cross buns were served at St Paul’s.

And at 11 am on Easter Day St Paul’s was filled as 90 people gathered for the main celebration, which began with the Rev’d Annette Miller carrying in the paschal candle.

How lovely to hear all the voices raised to sing the Easter hymns, accompanied by Charles who included a special organ voluntary at the end.