"Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!" This is the Easter message which is both the pledge of our salvation and the cornerstone of our mission. It is a message which is unchanging. It made the hearts of downcast disciples burn within them as they encountered their Risen Lord on the way.

Today's disciples may be similarly downcast: daily assailed by tragedies, near and far, with the dreadful example of Dunblane still fresh in our minds; bewildered by a rapidly changing world; fearful of change invading the life of the Church.

Yet in the midst of such change, Easter recalls us to focus on God's eternal changelessness. The God who ever breathes His easter triumph into Good Friday tragedies meets us on the way and gives us the nerve to encounter adversity head on and proclaim His victory therein.

We salute those, clergy and laity, whose quiet and faithful ministry in parish churches up and down the land, as well as in sector ministries or other contexts, stands as a sign of the Easter victory. We find impressive examples of living faith recorded in the recent Board of Mission Report `Signs of Life'. Such faithful service nationwide is crucial, and we, with our brother bishops assure you of our continuing and unreserved commitment to it, and to the ordained ministry which sustains it.

This crucial nature of the Church's task is at the forefront of our reflections as we take to heart all that our Lord endured for us, culminating in His gracious invitation to proclaim and share in His Risen life. He is risen indeed. Alleluia! May God bless and sustain you all this Eastertide.

signed George Cantuar
Archbishop of Canterbury
Lambeth Palace, London SE1 7JU

signed David Ebor
Archbishop of York
Bishopthorpe, York YO2 1QE