Brothers and sisters in Christ,

As I write this Easter message the news has come through about the terrible terrorist attacks in Brussels, leaving over 30 people dead and many more with horrific injuries. Our hearts and our prayers go out to injured and the families of those who have lost their lives.

It is the latest reminder of the fragile, violent world we live in. In this Holy Week for the Western churches we might describe this as a Good Friday world - when the forces of evil and violence did their worst against God's Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, as he died on the Cross. In a sense he stands there for all who suffer, all who are the victims of war and violence.

And today we remember other places in our Good Friday world. In our region we continue to pray for the Middle East – the devastated cities of Syria, the vast refugee settlements in Lebanon and Jordan, the refugees fleeing Daesh in Iraq, and the continuing tensions between Jews and Palestinians in the Holy Land.

And this year we have focused as EBF on the tide of refugees coming through Europe looking for shelter and a safe haven from war and violence. In the EBF we belong to nations that have very different hopes and fears about refugees. But I think we also see that wherever there is human need, our churches and member Unions have been reaching out with the love of Christ in both practical and spiritual ways. The EBF Refugee work Co-ordinating Group set up by our Council has been working well and you can read the results of their monitoring of the situation, as well as stories of what our Unions and churches are doing at:

http://www.ebf.org/migration-crisis

We have so many reminders of this Good Friday world. And yet we live with the hope and joy of Easter in our hearts – we are indeed an Easter people. God raised Jesus from death to show that evil, suffering and even death itself can never have the final word. Into the conflict zones and the refugee camps of our region we carry this message of hope and promise, that Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed. Alleluia!

Illustration: Sieger Köder 'Table fellowship'