Easter Blessings - & Why Easter is so symbolic for Interchurch Families.

Melanie Carroll • April 9, 2023

Why Easter is so symbolic to Interchurch Families...

Easter can be a deeply symbolic time for interchurch families, not just because - as for all Christians - it represents a significant event in Christianity, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, or because it is celebrated by different Christian denominations in various ways. But because for interchurch families, in some traditions called mixed marriages where the members follow different traditions and belong to different Christian denominations, Easter can be of special symbolic significance because of the way it can highlight a number of things key to the every day lived experience of being a member of such a family

• Unity in Diversity:

Easter can symbolize the concept of unity in diversity for interchurch families. After all It is a time when Christians come together to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, despite differences in beliefs and practices. It can therefore serve as a reminder for interchurch families and the churches to which they belong of the need to really embrace and appreciate the diversity within their family and the wider extended Christian family. To really look and find ways to honour and respect each other's faith traditions, but more significantly it can demonstrate to the wider churches that ecumenical unity, witness, and welcome are very real and possible- for if we can come together to share a walk of witness or Good Friday service then it is possible to share that welcome and witness weekly too.

• Shared Values:

Easter can also highlight the shared values and beliefs that interchurch families hold, despite following their different traditions and being members of different Christian denominations. The resurrection of Jesus and the messages of hope, forgiveness, and renewal associated with Easter are central to Christian theology and can be seen as common ground for interchurch families but also the churches they belong to. This time can really serve as a reminder to the wider church communities of the shared spiritual heritage and beliefs that interchurch families can bring weekly and not just when we gather together during Easter celebrations.

• Interchurch Dialogue and Understanding:

Easter and Lent that preceded it can also symbolize the importance of interchurch dialogue and the ecumenical understanding that is intrinsic within interchurch families. It can be a time for members of different traditions and denominations to engage in discussions about their beliefs, practices, and interpretations of Easter and in turn foster a mutual understanding and respect. Easter and Lent can provide an opportunity for interchurch families to deepen the understanding of each other's faiths and build stronger bonds based on mutual respect and appreciation in their churches and church communities.... and more importantly for those same dialogues to happen in those wider communities too, and not just as so often happens just through Ecumenical Lent Courses or prayer services during this holy season.

• Inclusivity and Acceptance:

Easter, with its message of love, compassion, and inclusivity, can be symbolic to interchurch families in promoting acceptance and inclusivity within and to the family, both the wider relational family but also the wider Christian family. It can serve as a reminder to embrace and respect each other's religious beliefs and practices, and to create an inclusive environment where all members feel valued and respected, regardless of their individual traditions... but more importantly this can be a space within the individual churches to extend that generous hospitality and welcome too.

• Creating Uniquely Blended Family Traditions:

Easter can also be symbolic to interchurch families in encouraging them to create their own unique family traditions that honour and reflect their diverse traditions. Interchurch families may choose to incorporate elements from both partners' traditions into their Easter celebrations, creating a meaningful and inclusive experience that reflects their family's unique identity and values.

So this is just a very quick consideration of how and why it is that Easter can be so deeply symbolic to interchurch families, and to the work of the Association of Interchurch Families, in representing unity in diversity, shared values, interchurch ecumenical dialogue, inclusivity, and the opportunity to create traditions that honour and respect each other's faith traditions.

It can be a time for interchurch families to come together, but also to reach out deeper into the church family as a whole and encourage them to celebrate their diversity, and at the same time deepen their understanding and appreciation for each other's traditions and practices so that in the light of the Risen Christ all may be known and all may be one, so that with open hearts and open minds, we proclaim together Christ is Risen, Alleluia!

The Association of Interchurch Families wish all a Blessed Easter.

Melanie Carroll
Executive Officer
Association of Interchurch Families

www.facebook.com/Interchurchfamilies

www.interchurchfamilies.org.uk

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Happy New Year! January —The Courage to Begin Again

By Melanie Carroll • January 1, 2026

JANUARY — The Courage to Begin Again January is a month often framed by fresh starts, renewed hopes, and the desire to step into the year with intention. For many interchurch families, however, the idea of “beginning again” is not simply about turning the page on a calendar; it is a rhythm woven into their very way of life. Interchurch families live at the intersection of traditions, expectations, and identities. As a result, the courage to begin again is not seasonal — it is habitual. Yet January gives us an opportunity to name that courage, honour it, and recognise the spiritual depth it carries. Beginning again may be as practical as shifting Sunday worship patterns because a child’s schedule has changed, or as emotional as revisiting conversations about belonging that have long been sources of tension. It may involve addressing unresolved experiences from last year — a moment when a priest or minister misunderstood your family dynamic, or when extended family expressed opinions about your choices to raise your children in both traditions. For some, beginning again may be choosing to return to church life after a season of being stretched thin or feeling spiritually exhausted. The idea of “courage” can sound dramatic, but for interchurch families it is often quiet, steady, and almost unnoticed. It is the courage of showing up in a church that is yours but not fully yours. It is the courage of continuing to pray for unity when you feel the strain of disunity most sharply. It is the courage of teaching children that they are not divided but doubly enriched, even when the world struggles to understand that reality. January invites us to reflect on the difference between courage as a moment and courage as a practice. A single moment of bravery can be powerful, but interchurch life asks for something more: a patient, ongoing willingness to step forward, again and again, even when the way is uncertain. Beginning again in this context is not naïve optimism; it is a spiritual discipline rooted in hope. For many interchurch families, hope is what sustains the courage to begin again. Hope that the churches we love will continue to grow closer. Hope that our children will be able to live out their faith identities freely and fully. Hope that our own callings — lay or ordained, formal or informal — will be recognised and supported in both of our traditions. January reminds us that these hopes need tending, and tending requires courage. Scripturally, we often turn to passages that speak of new beginnings — “Behold, I am doing a new thing” or “His mercies are new every morning.” But for interchurch families, it may be equally valuable to reflect on the stories where God’s people must take small, faithful steps into uncertain territory. Abraham setting out “not knowing where he was going.” Peter stepping onto the water with trembling confidence. The disciples returning again to the upper room to pray and wait when they did not know what God would do next. These moments resonate deeply with interchurch experience. Beginning again is not about control; it is about trust. It is about trusting God with your family’s decisions, your children’s spirituality, and your own dual belonging. It is about trusting that unity is not only a prayer but a promise — one that will unfold over time, even if we do not yet see the full picture. January also encourages us to reflect on the internal dimension of beginning again. Many interchurch families carry memories of past experiences — some beautiful, some painful. The courage to begin again includes the courage to forgive, to heal, to remain open. Unity in the home requires unity of heart, and unity of heart requires the bravery to keep loving generously across difference. Perhaps you find yourself this January feeling hopeful, or perhaps tired. Perhaps you are longing for clarity about church commitments, or simply grateful for the stability your family has found. Whatever this year begins with for you, hear this blessing: Your courage is seen. Your hope is holy. Your faithfulness is part of the very story of Christian unity that the whole Church longs for. As we enter 2026, may you find the gentle strength to begin again — not because January demands it, but because God is already ahead of you on the path, welcoming you into the year with grace. Melanie Carroll - Executive Officer

A Christmas & New Year Prayer

By Melanie Carroll • January 1, 2026

Eternal God, at Christmas we give you thanks for the gift of your Son, born among us to bring light into the world and to draw all people into your reconciling love. As the Association of Interchurch Families, we come before you as those who live daily across Christian traditions, seeking to hold together faith, family, and unity in Christ. We give thanks for the churches and friends who walk alongside us, support us, and share in this calling. At this turning of the year, we pray that the light of Christ, first seen in the manger, may continue to shape our shared life. Grant to your Church and all people a generosity of spirit, patience in difference, and a deepened commitment to the unity we share through birth and baptism. As one year ends and another begins, renew our common resolve to listen well, to learn from lived experience, and to bear faithful witness together to the truth that unity in Christ does not require uniformity, but is grounded in Love. May the joy and hope of Christmas remain with us in the year ahead, strengthening our partnerships, guiding our discernment, and drawing us ever more deeply into your peace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Word made flesh, the light of the world, now and for ever. Amen.