Reflections for Eastertide

Easter stands at the heart of the Gospel. The apostle Paul claimed that Christian faith stands or falls on the resurrection of Jesus, and it’s certainly clear that the events of the first Easter weekend galvanised the dispirited disciples into an energised community of people whose message of grace and hope spread across the known world like wildfire. This Eastertide David and Helen Newman, (Warden and Chaplain at Launde Abbey respectively) explore the implications of Easter faith in contemporary life.

TALKS

First week of Easter: Fear of Missing Out

Second week of Easter: The Journey through Disappointment

Third week of Easter: The Gate to Life

Fourth week of Easter: Here is God

Fifth Week of Easter: I Will Not Leave You

Sixth Week of Easter: The Final Prayer of Jesus

Pentecost Sunday: Come to the Lord
(plus a special reflection from our Warden: “I’ve Been Thinking About God…”)

WORSHIP

As part of your prayer and worship this Eastertide you might want to listen to two songs composed and sung by members of the Launde Community. Jesus, as a Mother is a setting of a canticle from Common Worship. As the Mist was composed by Emily Walker to mark the 900th anniversary celebrations at Launde Abbey in 2019.

We’ve been told these files don’t play properly on some versions of Safari browser. If you’re having difficulty you could switch to another browser or use these links to download the files to play elsewhere: Jesus, as a Mother and As the Mist.

Jesus, as a Mother

Download the words for Jesus, as a Mother here.

As the Mist

Download the words for As the Mist here.

SPEAKERS

David Newman has been the Warden of Launde Abbey for three years and enjoys the opportunity to support people in their spiritual growth and development through leading retreats, courses, quiet days, and spiritual direction. He has a long experience of pastoral leadership in the church through incumbencies in Derby and Loughborough and most recently as archdeacon of Loughborough. His first book, Growing up into the Children of God, was published last year.

Helen Newman has many years’ experience of pastoral counselling, spiritual direction and supervision. Prior to coming as Chaplain to Launde Abbey in 2017 she was the lead Chaplain at LOROS, the hospice for Leicestershire and Rutland and is very committed to helping people find God in times of darkness and struggle. Since moving to Launde Abbey she has been Diocesan Director of Ordinands for a year, and continues on the vocations team. She runs a supervision group for spiritual directors. David and Helen have 3 grown up married children and 5 grandchildren and love being grandparents.