CHURCHGOERS will come together to celebrate the rising of Christ at a wide variety of Easter Sunday services tomorrow.

The day is the most joyful in the Christian calendar, a reminder of the love shown by God in allowing his son to die on the cross.

At St Andrew's Church in Boscombe, Easter Sunday will start with a sunrise service at 6.15am on Boscombe beach, followed by a 10am service in the church. The day will conclude with songs of praise at 6.30pm.

The Rev Neil Houlton said: “Easter is a time when Jesus comes and mends the brokenness between God and humanity. It's when God actually says to humanity 'I love you this much that I'm willing for my son to come to you and to die on the cross for you. That's how big, that's how immense and extravagant my love for the whole of this human race is.'

“Good Friday is obviously a time when we are sad but then the joy of Easter Sunday morning, it's like Christmas Day.”

At St George's Church in Oakdale, there will be a family communion service at 10am.

Canon Antony MacRow-Wood said: “Easter represents what we are seeing around us as the world comes back to life from the winter.

“We see that new life coming back in the countryside and it resonates with that and reminds us that Jesus died and rose again and that death is not the end.

“When we die we go to be with God in heaven and there is always hope, no matter how dark life can be. We need to remember that more than ever.”

There will be an all age communion at Blandford Church at 10.30am and one at Langton Long at 11am. The rector of Blandform Forum and Langton Long, Rev Tim Storey said: “Easter is a time when we think of new life and hope after the long cold winter we have experienced.

“As a symbol of the resurrection story at the heart of Easter, this is something to proclaim in a world in the struggle that life seems to be for many at this moment.”