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'Pass on the baton of faith this Easter holiday'

George Kingand
Darren Rozier,Suffolk
The Church of England Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, Dr Joanne Grenfell, holds an unfolded paper legal document inside a church. She is dressed in her bishop robes. She has short black hair, glasses and she is smiling at the camera.The Church of England
The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, Dr Joanne Grenfell, has delivered her Easter message

A bishop has called on the people of Suffolk to join the "resurrection relay" and "pass on the baton of faith" this Easter holiday.

The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, The Right Reverend Dr Joanne Grenfell, is delivering sermons at Bury St Edmunds' cathedral on Friday and Sunday in celebration of Jesus Christ.

Easter celebrates the Christian belief of Jesus rising from the dead on Easter Sunday - three days after being crucified on the cross on Good Friday.

Ahead of commemorating the holiday, the bishop delivered a special Easter message to BBC Radio Suffolk listeners, inspired by the symbolism of Christ's rebirth.

'Join the resurrection relay'

"In churches around Suffolk this Easter season, people are being baptised and confirmed [because] someone passed the baton on to them," she said.

"We can all be people who pass on the baton of faith by sharing the hope and joy that comes from knowing Jesus is walking right beside us now.

"When we're overflowing with joy, because we've seen the risen Jesus, sharing that joy is the most natural thing in the world to do - pass it on.

"Remember, we don't need to be great athletes to be Christians. So, this Easter, take the baton, pass it on, and join the resurrection relay."

Aidan Grenfell Bishop Joanne Grenfell pictured after the service at Saint Mary-le-Bow in Cheapside with well-wishers from Suffolk.Aidan Grenfell
The Right Reverend Dr Joanne Grenfell took on her new role as head of the Church of England in Suffolk in September, after being legally confirmed as bishop at a ceremony in London (pictured)

Grenfell, who plans to visit some prisons on Easter Sunday, took on her role on 5 September after the Right Reverend Martin Seeley retired after 10 years.

She told the BBC she had loved her time in Suffolk so far and had received "such a fabulous, warm welcome from so many people".

"Suffolk is really varied and I'm loving getting to know all the different centres around the county - the rural, the urban and the coastal. It's all brilliant," she added.

"And it's wonderful as a bishop to be in your own cathedral to preach [over the Easter holiday]."

During her downtime this Easter weekend, Grenfell said she hoped to spend some "really lovely, relaxing family time" with her children and husband - and go for a run.

"I spend a bit too much sitting at my desk, so I want to get out a bit and I've taken up running, so I really want to get to 10km," she said.

"That's my goal for Easter week."

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