Sermon for Easter Day, 2026.
Emmanuel Church, Harlescott (25th Anniversary)
Acts 10:34–43 | John 20:1–18
It is such a joy to be with you this morning—on Easter Day and I want to begin by saying how lovely it is to see you all today.
There may well be some here who have been baptised at Emmanuel over the past 25 years. What a wonderful thing that is. You are part of this church’s story in a very particular way. Today is your celebration too. And for all of us, it’s a moment to remember something very simple, but very important about baptism.
When someone is baptised, we don’t just say, “this person” or “this child.” We use their name. Their actual name. All of it—first names, middle names… sometimes even the slightly embarrassing ones that only ever seem to come out on official occasions! I can still remember all of the names of the first baby I baptised and, if I saw him now, 30+ years later, I would still address him as ‘Dominic Andrew David’!We say the name of the person being baptised because they are known. They are seen. They are loved.
And that connects us straight into one of the readings we heard this morning from the Bible:
Because on that first Easter morning, in the midst of confusion and sadness, Jesus doesn’t make a grand speech.
He simply says one word: “Mary.”
He calls her by name.
And in that moment, everything changes.
Each one of us is known by God, called by name, and held in his love.
Now, I wonder—can I ask a question: what’s the best surprise you’ve ever had?
A birthday present you weren’t expecting?
An Easter egg hidden somewhere particularly well?
A visit from someone you love?
We all enjoy a surprise—especially when it’s a good one.
But the first Easter morning? That was a surprise of a completely different kind:
Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb expecting one thing—to find the body of Jesus and finds something utterly unexpected.
The stone is rolled away.
The tomb is empty.
Nothing makes sense.
She runs.
She tells the others.
There’s confusion, fear, questions.
And then— Jesus speaks her name: “Mary.”
And suddenly, everything changes.
I think that’s one of the most important things about Easter.
It’s not just a big, dramatic event out there somewhere. It’s personal. Jesus knows Mary. He calls her by name. And that same risen Jesus knows each one of us—young and old—and calls us by name too.
The first people at the tomb?
They were not calm and confident. They were confused. They were unsure. At one point, Mary even thinks Jesus is the gardener! But it reminds us: you don’t have to understand everything to encounter Jesus. You don’t have to have perfect faith. You just have to be open enough to hear your name when he calls.
I wonder, did anyone hear Bear Grylls on the radio yesterday morning? Always excellent, and always telling the good news and he certainly wasn’t going to be moved away from that by the person interviewing him! Bear Grylls often says that what keeps people going in the hardest moments is hope—something to hold onto when everything else feels uncertain.
And Easter is God saying: there is always hope.Even when things feel difficult. Even when life feels confusing. Even when we’re not sure what comes next. And that’s especially important as you look to the future as a church. Because the next 25 years will not look exactly like the last 25 years. The world changes. Communities change. Life changes.
But the heart of your calling remains the same:
To be a place where people discover that God is with them.
To be a place where people are welcomed and known by name.
To be a place where new life can begin…
And to those of you who were baptised here and to all of you I want to say this: Your story matters. Your life matters. And God’s love for you is constant and unchanging. Baptism is not just something that happened once. It is something that continues to shape who you are—reminding you that you belong to God, and that nothing can separate you from his love.
So today, we celebrate. We celebrate the joy of Easter. We celebrate every life touched by the love of God—including yours.
We give thanks for all that has been—and we look forward with hope to all that is still to come.
And above all, we remember this: That Jesus, who rose from the dead, still calls people by name.
Still brings hope where there is uncertainty.
Still brings life where things feel lost.
And he is here—
with us—
‘Emmanuel: God with us’.
The Rt Revd Sarah Bullock, Bishop of Shrewsbury