I thought I would post up Easter Messages as they arrive in my inbox…. feel free to add your own

Easter Message from UCA President Rev.Gregor Henderson

Despite walking this earth 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ continues to make more impact for good on people in the world today than any other single human being.

We hear much these days about the tension, competition and conflict between people of different faiths. This Easter it is worth noting that the stresses that can occur are generated by a very few people. The far more common story, not often told, is the good relationships that are being nurtured, together with a commitment to maintaining peace and harmony, by the vast majority of people of faith.

In the Indian city of Machilipatnam, thousands of Hindus and Muslims come to the city cathedral every Christmas Eve to pray, in respect for the Christian faith and in commitment to community togetherness. Further, each visitor drops a few rupees into the cathedral?s offering boxes and, on that one day, they contribute more than 10% of the cathedral?s annual budget.

In Jerusalem last year, a new Council for Religious Institutions was established. Membership includes the Jewish chief rabbis; the Christian heads of churches; and the Muslim supreme judge and mufti. They are particularly working on the very sensitive issue of the long-term future status of Jerusalem.

In Australia the leaders of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths are planning a joint visit to Israel and Palestine in 2009, in order to see the conflict there from all sides and to work out together how faith leaders may contribute to peace in the region.

None of these things would be happening were it not for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to live out and teach God?s love for the whole world, not just for his particular followers. That is why, in respect for Jesus, people of many faiths observe Easter.

Whether you are of the Christian faith, another faith, or a person of no religious faith at all, I encourage you to at least enjoy the Easter holiday season and to give thanks for Jesus; a man who promoted peace and advocated for justice for all humans; and the man whom Christians worship as Son of God and Saviour of the world.

Some good thinking and links from Digital Orthodoxy (From President to First Tiger Daz)

As Easter approaches (this weekend) your youth and your church s possibly going to eat a lot of chocolate, many might actually hand lots of it out to friends and family, some churches might even give them out to their congregation. With this in mind I?d like to point you to some resources to help you discuss issues around child labor, the slave trade, fair trade and where this all connects with chocolate, cocoa, coffee, tea? (keep reading here)

Easter Message from UCA vic/tas Moderator Rev. Jason Kioa

Easter is a time of reconciliation. It is a time where we recall that the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ builds bridges between God and humanity and breaks down barriers across the human divide. It is a time of renewal, replenishment and a time to start again.

Yet today, we see a world that is not so reconciled: rich and poor are divided; there is still enmity between races, cultures and genders.
Often in our busy life we ignore those in need. Not because we are bad people, but because our schedules and commitments distract us from expressing compassion and concern. Then, we feel guilty that we could have done more

But, once in a while, the circuit is broken.
Our nation stopped to say Sorry to the Stolen Generations, and goodwill and the prospect of practical help became a possibility once again.

In the Apology, we witnessed the true sentiment of Easter. How real the hope that the world could be a better place. How unifying a word like ?Sorry? can be!

But having been moved to reconciliation there now needs to be grass roots assistance, more efforts to build more bridges between races, cultures and religions.

Our governments, churches and the wider community has a renewed responsibility to make ?reconciliation real? by increasing physical assistance to indigenous people as well as being reconciled in our attitude of love and acceptance of our Aboriginal neighbours.
Easter is the total human embodiment of God?s love for the world. It is a universal event – one in which God?s love pervades all barriers and cultures.

It is about bringing all humanity under God?s care, and at the same time allowing us the freedom to be ourselves ? diverse, creative and compassionate beings.

Easter is a time for everyone to engage more actively in their community and reconnect with each other in order to create a new beginning in each other?s lives.

We live in a global village, we belong to each other, and we need each other. We must engage in community ? with people we know, with others that we have perhaps not engaged with in the past and with people of other faiths.

A formal apology was made to Australia?s Indigenous people by the Uniting Church more than a decade ago.