early easter confusion

[blondie95]

I know easter was early this year (last year i was out in the garden with shorts on, this year i had enough layers of clothing on to look like a mammoth) but i wasnt half confused when on Friday my dad was relishing his 3week holiday yet when i walked out the door the kids were walking along the road to the secondry school....and my friend was telling me she was relived they were back at school!

It seems independent schools have the easter holiday now in ful and most secondry schools have gone back for a week and a half and will then have their 2 week holiday!!! i just have to wait another two weeks until i get a a lovely quite journey to work

[J.R.]

Our grandchildren, (the ones still at school), had the 4 day weekend and have gone back today for a week, then they get their Easter holiday.

Incidently, I saw on t.v. last night that we won't have such an early Easter again for the next 100 years.

Shame ! I'll miss it !

[Great Plum]

The kids around here all are back for a week or two now before having a 'spring' break...

this is annoying all the parents who have to take off more time than mormal to see their children in holiday times...

[Vonny]

Mine broke up on Maundy Thursday and go back on 7 April.

[blondie95]

well there is someone at work who has 1 kid at primary school and 1 at grammer school-the grammer school is still at school but primary child is off....so double schol holidays

[Vonny]

I heard about that happening on the news. All very well but if you don't work but if you do then it either means twice as much leave or double the child care costs.

[kerrensimmonds]

Apart from Schools etc. (and I understand the confusion and the irritation resulting from different practices), Universities (well, mine, anyway...) have carried on as if it had been just a long weekend.
My own confusions arose because of the religious aspects of an early Easter (glad it won't happen again for 100 years by which time I will be long gone...). Sunrise Service at 6.00 a.m. in the nearly pitch black and in a snow blizzard? I Don't Think So.....
Easter Vigil (last year a moving occasion in the Vicarage garden, on the Saturday, reading through the various OT passages) in Church this year, in candlelight? Erm.. didn't feel right. Not helped by an over-enthusiastic assistant priest who instead of sprinkling the congregation from the Font (in the renewal of baptismal vows) decided to drench us. One elderly lady crouched down and put her book over her head. Oh dear....
Whilst on the subject, and at the risk of setting this off in a different direction, what do people think about Good Friday? I used to treasure the Three Hours Devotion but now we have the Common Worship 'Good Friday Liturgy' which only lasts 1.5 hours and is very 'busy'. Last week, we had people 'acting' the full Passion (not just the elements relating to the Cross), rushing up and down the aisle shouting 'Crucify Him!'..... and then all solemnity dissolved for me when someone tucked away in a corner of our church blew on a whistle (poop-poop-perooooooo x 3) at the moment of the third crow of the cock (DOWN, JR!) which brought Peter up sharp. I don't think I will go next year. I would prefer to stay and meditate at home....
Kerren

[Angela Woodford]

Kerren! I have in the back of my brain that the Easter of the Orthodox Churches is yet to come!

You could have Easter all over again! I strayed into an Orthodox Cathedral (it's near Selfridges) whilst waiting to meet someone a couple of years ago - Sunday morning - thought I'd just look at the lovely building -

It was packed. I squeezed in at the very back and was moved almost to tears by the beauty of the singing and Liturgy. The atmosphere of intense devotion - it was indescribable, really.

I feel very sorry that your service had been interpreted as such. The way you wrote of it was very funny though! However, I was wincing on your behalf, especially at the blowing of the whistle!

The Three Hour Service was terrifically important when I was a child. There was always a huge sheaf of arum lilies in front of the Communion Table. Those lilies always say "Easter" to me! One year, during the third hour there really was darkness over all the land - well, over all of Clapham anyway. The weather had obliged with a huge all-enveloping black cloud at the right time. My mother was pale with excitement in her pew - she was so longing for the Second Coming and things looked very promising...

She also adored having a new hat for Easter Sunday - many of the ladies did. So Vanity and the Resurrection were happily combined!

Love from Munch

[J.R.]

at the moment of the third crow of the cock (DOWN, JR!) which brought Peter up sharp. Kerren

You've made me feel like Judas now !

[marty]

well there is someone at work who has 1 kid at primary school and 1 at grammer school-the grammer school is still at school but primary child is off....so double schol holidays

Grammer?!!! Really, Blondie!!!

[Great Plum]

Apart from Schools etc. (and I understand the confusion and the irritation resulting from different practices), Universities (well, mine, anyway...) have carried on as if it had been just a long weekend.
My own confusions arose because of the religious aspects of an early Easter (glad it won't happen again for 100 years by which time I will be long gone...). Sunrise Service at 6.00 a.m. in the nearly pitch black and in a snow blizzard? I Don't Think So.....
Easter Vigil (last year a moving occasion in the Vicarage garden, on the Saturday, reading through the various OT passages) in Church this year, in candlelight? Erm.. didn't feel right. Not helped by an over-enthusiastic assistant priest who instead of sprinkling the congregation from the Font (in the renewal of baptismal vows) decided to drench us. One elderly lady crouched down and put her book over her head. Oh dear....
Whilst on the subject, and at the risk of setting this off in a different direction, what do people think about Good Friday? I used to treasure the Three Hours Devotion but now we have the Common Worship 'Good Friday Liturgy' which only lasts 1.5 hours and is very 'busy'. Last week, we had people 'acting' the full Passion (not just the elements relating to the Cross), rushing up and down the aisle shouting 'Crucify Him!'..... and then all solemnity dissolved for me when someone tucked away in a corner of our church blew on a whistle (poop-poop-perooooooo x 3) at the moment of the third crow of the cock (DOWN, JR!) which brought Peter up sharp. I don't think I will go next year. I would prefer to stay and meditate at home....
Kerren

Common Worship still hasn't got it right has it?

There are 3 Good Friday services at St Matt's Redhill... the 8 o'clock service which is too early for me (especially as I normally take part in the vigil the night before."

Then there is the 10am service which is a family service, quite informal and with our 'band' (a very loose collective of musicians including me, normally cringing at the choice of music)

They still have the 3 hour devotional service 12-3pm which I have never been to because I don't fancy trying to listen to sermons for 3 hours!

Lukcily we have no Passion Plays or anything like that!

[J.R.]

There are 3 Good Friday services at St Matt's Redhill... the 8 o'clock service which is too early for me (especially as I normally take part in the vigil the night before."

Matt - Is that the church with the spire that can be seen on a clear day from Inholms Lane, North Holmwood ?

[Great Plum]

There are 3 Good Friday services at St Matt's Redhill... the 8 o'clock service which is too early for me (especially as I normally take part in the vigil the night before."

Matt - Is that the church with the spire that can be seen on a clear day from Inholms Lane, North Holmwood ?

That is probably St John's in Earlswood - it stands on its own hill and you can see it for miles.

St Matt's church has a prominent spire but this is lost in the centre of Redhill...

[midget]

Easter at school (twice while I was there) was very peaceful. in the year I was confirmed we all made our first Communion on Easter day. 6th form were allowed to go to the last part of the 3 hour srevice in Hertford on Good Friday.