About St Paul's, Knowlton

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Easter Newsletter 2026

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen:  not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”  C.S. Lewis

Our weather is always a topic of conversation this time of year. Someone wrote, “It’s as if Mother Nature is really ticked off. She storms in like crazy, then calms down a little and leaves, and then storms back in with more snow again saying, ‘AND ANOTHER THING!!!’”

Seeing the sun and feeling its warmth is a wonderful thing—something worth celebrating. And yet, no matter how many storms we get, no one truly doubts that spring and summer, sunshine and warmth, will return.

Our Earth is so precisely ordered: tilted at just the right angle (23.44°), with a mass of about 5.972 × 10²⁴ kilograms, surface gravity of 9.80665 m/s², orbiting the Sun at an average distance of 149.6 million kilometers (93 million miles), spinning at roughly 1,037 miles per hour at the equator, and traveling through space at about 66,600 miles per hour.

Because of this remarkable consistency, we would be utterly shocked- at least- if spring and summer—sunshine and warmth—did not return.

After Good Friday, seeing Jesus beaten within an inch of his life, hung on a cross and then pierced with a spear under his rib cage, no one would imagine that the physical laws of the universe could be superseded and that He could not be dead.  

And yet… Mary Magdalene, needing to do something to assuage her grief, gets up at sunrise and goes to Jesus’ tomb.  She doesn’t have all the answers, she is not sure what she is going to do, but she feels called to do something.  And lo, and behold, to her utter shock, Jesus is risen.  

And so it is with us.  We don’t have all the answers but we know Jesus is risen, alive and active in us and in the world He perfectly created and more wonderfully redeemed through His life, death and resurrection.  

And so, for two thousand years we see, through the light of the resurrection, Jesus alive and working and we, by His grace, seek to follow Him.  

We have seen Jesus at work in many ways through 2026 thus far. 

We have new and enthusiastic members- Mike, Athena, Elijah, Emmott, Lennon, Lainy, Eamon, Nancy.  We are looking forward to another little girl joining us, Sarah and Ren’s daughter in the coming weeks.  It was a wonderful celebration of new life to celebrate Daisy’s baptism and Alex’s re-commitment.  We have many faithful and consistent members who are open to seeing Jesus at work in new ways.  

Pierre has been busy updating our “vintage” Haupwerk digital organ system which is now almost 15 years old.  The previous system was still operating on Windows 7!

Our worship software has allowed us to add another Spanish screen to welcome new people to our life and worship.  

We are celebrating 10 years of livestreaming.  Our digital organ and digital cameras have allowed us to reach more than 2,000 weekly and we have more than 1345 members in our Facebook family.  

We now have 11 weddings scheduled for 2026, a new record!   Four baptisms, 3 memorial services (before the ground has thawed.)  

The Board of Management met with our new Bishop Victor-David Mbuyi-Bipungu and our Executive Archdeacon Deborah Meister to discuss St. Paul’s life and ministry.  We look forward to welcoming the Bishop to our worship very soon.  

The St. Paul’s Board of Management held a Town Hall meeting on March 15th.  These meetings are opportunities to present some of the things that are going on behind the scenes and answer any questions that parishioners might have.  We also heard some new ideas for having concerts, yard sales, outdoor services, perhaps even Christmas in July!!!   

Our relationship with Knowlton Academy continues to grow and our Silent Partners were able to help a family get glasses for a young boy.  

We are pleased to have several new donors to our life and work.  

We still have many challenges. 

People are often surprised that we continue to grow and develop.  But, of course, to paraphrase Pope Benedict. The Church is used to dying and rising, because it follows a Saviour who knows the way. Or as ChatGPT put it- “The Church lives the rhythm of dying and rising, because it follows a Saviour who has conquered death and leads the way to Life.”

Alleluia!  Christ is Risen Indeed!  

Blessings

Tim