For many vicars, as they approach another Easter, the same question comes to mind. ‘How do you communicate the most important message ever, a never changing message that everyone needs to hear which never changes in its content or relevance, but in a way which is engaging, and inviting for 2024?’

Recently, I came across a great video called ‘The Easter story in 60 seconds’. It’s a shortened version of a 4 minute video which tells the Easter Story from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday using Lego. You can see the 60 second version by going to the Easter page on the All Saints Ilkley website (www.allsaintsilkley.org/easter). The script for the video was written by Dai Wooldridge, a Welsh poet, author and award winning spoken word artist. (You can find out more about his work at his website. Google ‘Dai Wooldridge’ and his Spoken Truth website is the first one on the list.)

So we celebrate another Easter, I hope and pray that this script (alongside the Bible passages in the Gospels) will enable you to engage afresh with the greatest story ever told. (N.B. there are two lines in the script that only make sense when you watch the video. I’ll leave you to work out which ones they are!)

Easter in 60 seconds

Jesus rides into Jerusalem, gets the green carpet treatment – He’s loving it!

(Guess who ran out of palm leaves?)

Then last supper time, sat on the same side of the table mind “Cheers to the chief!”

Jesus says he’s getting turned in by someone tucking into flatbread.

“Hey, I’m not Judas!” says Judas tucking into flat bread.

Jesus Christ breaks bread and passes round the red

“My body is broken and poured out” he said.

At Gethsemane Jesus prays for another way but chooses the Father’s way.

Judas does a Judas and betrays.

Then trial kangaroo court style verdicts rigged.

A few not good men interrogate.

“Hey, I want the truth?” “You can’t handle the truth!”

Meanwhile Pete’s getting heat from the fire.

“Hey, aren’t you from Nazareth the besties with Jesus?”

“Eh up, where’s Nazareth?” asks Pete in a thick Nazarene accent (because he’s blatantly from Nazareth.)

Jewish leaders go to Pilates (sorry they go to Pilate’s) who green lights the crucifixion because he doesn’t want to be a killjoy.

But then they kill joy to the world on a cross. Sin of the world on his shoulders.

A cosmic eclipse, the sun flicks off his light switch. It is finished, Jesus dies.

“Hands down he was God’s Son” says centurion

And Jesus put in a tomb backs the ultimate plot twist.

Sixth sense has got nothing on this

On the third day, stone rolled away!

Jesus Risen! Happy Days!