The 2024 Easter message from Uniting Church in Australia President Rev Sharon Hollis is now available for congregations to download and share!

As communities of faith open the Gospel of Mark this holy season, President Rev Sharon reflects on how the briefest gospel does not shy away from the harder edges of the Easter story or the failings of the people around Jesus. It’s short on details and ends abruptly, with fear and terror. Yet it hands us a message of God’s limitless grace and a story that continues with us.

“The story is drenched with grief, death and betrayal. It does not turn away from the trauma of Jesus’ death. It immerses us in the sorrow, despair and speechlessness of the women. In their heartache, they respond in fear and terror. Nor does Mark avoid the failings of those around Jesus as he dies.”

“This story is for all of us, the broken, the grieving, the boastful, the enactors of violence and the victims of violence. For the broken humanity in each of us, the good news of resurrection life is proclaimed.”

“God raises Jesus from the dead with the hope of new life, a gift of grace, love and mercy for each of us.”

The Easter message was filmed at Northbridge Uniting Church on the lands of the Cammeraygal and Wallumedegall people in north Sydney. It includes some footage of the President attending Retreat Yourself 2024, a gathering of young adults organised by the Pulse team in the Synod of NSW/ACT.

This holiest of church seasons, may you know the hope of new life and God’s resurrection grace “that cannot be defeated” and which is offered to each of us over and over again.

“Dwelling in the heart of love that is God, may we live as Easter people who are being made whole because God raised Jesus from the dead.”

Download the transcript of the Easter Message as a PDF.

See below for messages from the Uniting Church Moderators, and check back as we add more in the coming weeks.