On this page
Easter messages and sermons
Bishop Guli's Easter message
A transcript of Bishop Guli's Easter message for 2024 can be found here, please feel free to make use of the message in your parish magazine or on your church website where it is helpful to do so.
A video of Bishop Guli's Easter message for 2024 can be found below, or watched via YouTube.
Services across Essex and East London
AChurchNearYou.com lists details of services across the Diocese of Chelmsford.
Click on the button below and enter your postcode to find a church service near you.
How to update your 'A Church near you page'
Holy Week and Easter at Chelmsford Cathedral
During Holy Week and Easter we remember the events that led up to the death and resurrection of Jesus. Holy Week culminates on Easter Sunday, when we celebrate the risen Christ.
Everyone is warmly invited to celebrate Holy Week and Easter at Chelmsford Cathedral.
-
Choral Eucharist with Procession of Palms and dramatic reading of the Passion - Sunday 24th March at 10.30am
A Choral Eucharist on Palm Sunday with the traditional procession of palms and a dramatic reading of the Passion Gospel.
This reflects Christ's triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem when people laid down palms to welcome him as their saviour.
Junior Church will meet from 10:30am in the Cathedral Learning Centre for a craft activity and will then join us for this special service in the Cathedral.
-
Evensong with Licensing of Canon Precentor - Sunday 24th March at 3.30am
A special Evensong celebrating the formal installation of Sebastian Harries as Canon Precentor.
-
Choral Evening Prayer - Tuesday 26th March at 5.15pm
Choral Evening Prayer sung by the Cambridge Early Music Consort.
-
Compline and Meditation - Monday 25th March & Tuesday 26th March at 7pm
Candlelit Compline for Holy Week with an address from Canon Ivor on the theme ‘Embrace and Renewal: Listening to the Music of the Cross’.
-
The Watch - Thursday 28th March at 11:30am
This service focuses on the Last Supper, the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples.
-
Tenebrae - Wednesday 27th March at 2pm
Through its Scripture and song, Tenebrae offers a prolonged meditation and commemoration of Christ’s suffering.
-
Diocesan Eucharist and Chrism Mass – Maundy Thursday 28th March at 11am
Clergy from across the Diocese are invited to a service at the Cathedral to remember their vows and collect the consecrated oils of baptism, healing and anointing to use in their parish churches. Presider and Preacher, the Bishop of Chelmsford.
-
Eucharist with the Washing of Feet - Maundy Thursday 28th March at 7:30pm
This service focuses on the Last Supper, the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples, and the origin of the Eucharist. Jesus shared bread and wine, as his body and blood.
-
The Watch - Thursday 29th March from 8:30pm-12am
Following this service, you are invited to spend some time between 8.30pm and midnight to pray privately and silently in St Cedd’s Chapel.
-
Morning Services - Good Friday 29th March
Morning Prayer - 7.45am
Eucharist - 8:15am
-
Meditations and Music for Good Friday - Friday 29th March from 12pm-2pm
Join us for a series of short reflections focusing on John's Gospel with music and prayers as we approach the Cross.
-
Good Friday Liturgy - Friday 29th March at 2pm
This hour long service has its focus on the Cross of Christ. You will hear the whole of the crucifixion narrative. A simple cross will be placed in the middle of the Cathedral for people to focus their prayers on.
-
Morning Services - Saturday 30th March
Morning Prayer - 7.45am
Eucharist - 8.15am
-
The Great Easter Vigil and Confirmations - Saturday 30th March at 7:30pm
We celebrate together the light in the darkness that is the Resurrection. This service includes the Cathedral's Confirmation service, led by the Bishop of Chelmsford.
-
Said Eucharist on Easter Day - 31st March at 8am
Said Eucharist from the Book of Common Prayer.
-
All Age Eucharist for Easter - Sunday 31st March at 9:30am
A family friendly Eucharist in the Cathedral to celebrate Easter Day.
-
Choral Eucharist on Easter Day - Sunday 31st March at 11.15am
Bishop Guli presides preaches at the Eucharist for our Easter Day celebrations of the risen Christ.
-
Festal Choral Evensong - Sunday 31st March at 3.30pm
Traditional Choral Evensong with the Cathedral Choir to celebrate Easter Day.
For more details of all Cathedral services visit: www.chelmsfordcathedral.org.uk
Resources for children, young people and families, collated by the Diocese of Chelmsford Mustard Seed Team
- Pinterest board for Lent, Holy Week and Easter by Mary Hawes
- Lent & Holy Week resources from BRF
- Ideas to explore Easter at home, school, and church from the Mustard Seed Team
Ages: 0-5
- Beginner's Bible The Very First Easter: An Easter Book For Kids (Video version)
- Sing ‘We have a king who rides a donkey’ and make your own actions up for the words
- Watch Easter sand video
- Make a paper plate donkey
- Paper plates Easter story for toddlers
Ages 5-7:
- Watch Three friends and the miracle man
- Decorate paper eggs with different coloured tissue squares to show the happiness and sadness of the Easter story
- Create an Easter garden individually or as a group or create them out of Lego or junk modelling materials. Here is a very basic one, or view bigger scale ones here
- A song which conveys the meaning of Easter for Christians: You didn’t wait until I loved you
Ages 7-11:
- Watch this version of the Easter story
- Easter Resurrection in Rocks by Patti Rokus
- Make a God’s eye cross – Watch a video tutorial here
- An activity to use through Holy Week at home or school: Listen, look, act and pray through Holy Week slides. View here
Ages 11-17:
- Last Supper with Street Children image by Joey Velasco – Table of Hope
Links to other resources for further use:
- Easter trail resource
- Make Resurrection Rolls
- Dwell at Home Easter Resource traces the journey through Holy Week with readings, activities, thoughts and reflections using the headings: Breathe, Read, Wonder, Pray
- Good Friday sensory prayer stations
- Video: Why did Jesus have to die?
Some more versions of The Easter Story
Resources for churches
The Church of England has been working with dioceses and parishes to develop a range of resources to help churches, choirs and singing groups, communities and schools this Lent, Easter and Holy Week with 'Watch + Pray'.
Design assets and guidelines: Logo packs for print and digital are available to download now. The branding guidelines are designed to assist churches and organisations in making the most of the Church of England Watch and Pray branding.
The Resources for Lent 2024 webinar explores the Watch and Pray theme with ideas on how to use the resources available to support you and your church. Watch now on-demand.
Get downloadable resources including web banners, social media covers and templates, poster and poster templates, and PowerPoint templates from A Church Near You (login required).
Support for Lent groups: Free resources including weekly videos featuring Selina Stone exploring the weekly themes of 'Tarry Awhile' (SPCK) are available from the Big Church Read.
