A Journey Through Easter

Easter is just around the corner.

Did you know Easter doesn’t fall on the same date each year? After a bit of digging (thanks to the Royal Museums Greenwich), I discovered it was decided way back in AD 325 that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox. It sounds simple—but in reality, it’s surprisingly complex! Even today, Eastern and Western churches mark it on different days.

But honestly, the exact date doesn’t matter as much as the message behind it.

Easter is a season of Hope

As we walk through Lent—from the stark, dark days of winter to longer evenings and the sudden splash of daffodils in bloom—we’re reminded that even in the deepest darkness, light still breaks through. The message of Easter is clear: despair doesn’t have the final word—Hope does.

Easter eggs are a beautiful picture of this. Originally, eggs were forbidden during Lent, so eating one at Easter was a real treat (not chocolate ones back then!). But more than that, the egg itself symbolises the sealed tomb—dark and still—being broken open as new life begins. It’s a joyful, tangible reminder of resurrection and renewal.

No matter what we face—grief, uncertainty, or difficult decisions—Easter tells us that God is present, and hope is alive. Not just a vague, wishful kind of hope, but a confident expectation. The kind of hope that anchored early believers and still anchors us today.

And Hope is also the story of Valley CiDS and one of the charity’s core values:

“We want to journey with people, providing opportunities that enable them to embrace new possibilities and realise a brighter future.“

As we celebrate 25 years and look back to a vision shared by Dorothy and our founding Trustees, we see Valley CIDS as a living picture of Easter Hope—believing in a positive future for children, young people and families and working together to make this a reality.

So, this Easter—embrace the power of Hope.

Written by: Jonathan Brook, Director of Ethos, Values & Mission