The Uplands Group of Parishes consists of Guilsborough, Hollowell, Thornby, Cold Ashby, Ravensthorpe, Cottesbrooke, Creaton and Spratton                       

Message from Reverend Allison Twigg, the Uplands Group of Churches

Uplands Group of Parishes Office (Answerphone): 01604 743444                                

celebrated Easter at different times. led to a meeting at Whitby Abbey, when the King relented and decided that the whole of the country should follow the Roman method of calculating lunar cycles… which they believed had come from St Peter himself!

Another spanner in the works came again in the 16th century when the Julian calendar was exchanged for the Gregorian calendar, and people were unsure again when to celebrate Easter. fact, our brothers and sisters in the Orthodox Christian tradition, who still mainly follow the Julian calendar, will be celebrating Easter on 5th May.

It’s understandable that there have been calls for the date of Easter to be fixed!

Whilst fascinating and confusing in equal measure, actually it’s the meaning of Easter which matters far more than the date of it. Human beings will always disagree and squabble over earthly matters like times and dates. Easter lifts us out of this world and gives us a glimpse of God’s world – or heaven as we like to call it. Jesus died and rose again, he showed us a future where death is no more, our sins are forgiven, there is new life on offer for all… and where we don’t need to worry about dates and calculations!

So yes, this year, Easter is early... But the same Easter joy, hope, peace and forgiveness can be found being celebrated in the churches of The Uplands Group as always. just on Easter Sunday but for the whole of the Easter Season. Come and celebrate with us - you can see the times of the services on our service planner!

May this season be a blessing to you all,

Reverend Allison

Email: uplandsgroup@btinternet.com

Dear all,

‘Isn’t Easter early this year?’

Like me, you might have heard this said often lately, as we look to Easter Sunday being on 31st March.

But there are some years when Easter could be even earlier. fact, it could happen on 22nd March – although the last time that happened was 1818, and it won’t happen again until 2285!

But did you know, the date of Easter had long been a point of contention?

Today, Easter is always the first Sunday after first full moon following the Spring Equinox, 21st March.

This method was established by Christians at the Council of Nicaea in 325AD (at which the Nicene Creed was also written!), after the early Church hadn’t always agreed when Christ’s resurrection should be celebrated. know that Jesus died and rose again around the Jewish festival of Passover, the date of which was also set by the lunar calendar. at Nicaea, Emperor Constantine attempted to put the matter of the date of Easter to rest once and for all.

But that wasn’t the end of the matter, because the trouble was no one could agree how lunar cycles should be calculated!

Even in our own country, in 664, the Northumbrian King and his Kentish wife

WELCOME TO REV’D CECILY - THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE UPLANDS PARISH MINISTRY TEAM

“My name is Cecily. I’m married to Shakeel, who is also a curate currently working in the Oakham Ministry team. We’ve lived in Rutland for the past three years when we moved there just after getting married.

I felt called to ordained ministry from around 14/15 years old and so it’s something I have pursued for a long time. I completed training for ordained ministry at Cranmer Hall in Durham, where my husband and I met.

We have a lovely golden Labrador called Aslan who is almost 3 as well as 3 lovely bunnies. In my spare time, I like walking, playing badminton and reading (although not all at the same time!) as well as crocheting, baking, and playing board games.

We’re so looking forward to moving into the area soon and becoming a part of the community!”

Cecily and Shakeel will be moving to Welford after Easter. Please join us in welcoming them!