A ‘new to us’ tradition at Cedar Park in recent years is the lighting of a new Christ Candle, and procession of light at the beginning of our Easter Sunday Worship. In many Christian traditions, both of the East and West,  the church is plunged into darkness on Good Friday, to signify the death of Christ. Then, in the dark hours of Easter Saturday/Sunday a new Christ candle is kindled, and then processed through a dark church towards the front, where it will stay for the coming year.

We don’t (yet) gather for a night Vigil at CPU, but this powerful procession of light is such a rich way of marking the Resurrection, and the release of the Light of Christ once more into the world.

We are blessed in the United Church with a freedom to adopt, adapt and create rituals which feed our spiritual imaginations.  This one has always been very powerful for me, and I hope it will become a cherished part of our Easter Celebrations.

Meanwhile, darkness descends, this Easter Saturday, and we wait……