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The present of the Present

At Christmas time last year Dr Meanwhile John reports: I am having some
John Geater received the news of the best time of my whole life. Many in
that the pancreatic cancer which Hastings are among those in the UK praying for
had been operated upon in 2014 me. I have been astonished by the number of
had recurred with secondaries in people in many other countries who have sent
both lungs. messages of affirmation and joined this prayer.
This was deemed untreatable and I am immensely grateful to all those many
he was told that he had only a few people, and recognise this as the love of the
months to live. Christian family near and far.
Just two days before receiving this
news he had been moved to Sense of peace
write a poem that came So far I am in good health with no symptoms,
to him ‘out of the blue’ ‘Many and an incredible sense of peace and well-
about how each day being – what the Bible would call shalom.
was God’s gift to be things seem In addition to this I am finding that many
used to the full. to be coming things that I have been working for in my
It seems God was to fruition’ life seem to be coming to fruition.
preparing John for May you all enjoy ‘The present of the
what was to come. We Present’... Scenes from the Good
are printing this poem in Dr John Geater MBE, who was a local GP, is Friday enactment in
the Old Town
the hope that it will encourage others. international director of Prime (International Photos: Alan Roberts
Not just those facing difficulties but Partnerships in Medical Education) and has led Photographic
all of us to use each day to the full as the local inter-church Loaf Project throughout
Jesus taught us to do. its 40 years. Local events shake Easter apathy

Dr John’s poem Many of today’s younger generation Moving spectacle
have little or no idea of what For more than 20 years the Old
The Present is a present Christmas and Easter are really about. Town Parish Players have re- ‘It was a
God’s gift to us Today Or who is the reason for them. One enacted each Good Friday powerful and
to be used to shape our Future published survey showed that fewer the events leading up to the
in ways we can’t yet say than half (45%) of young adults crucifixion of Jesus Christ. emotional
associate Easter with Jesus. More It has been described as a very spectacle’
Today we have remembrance associate it with chocolate Easter eggs. moving and emotional spectacle
of our many Yesterdays Two Easter events in Hastings however which sheds light on the importance
some of which we’ve learned from touched the hearts of hundreds of people. Christians attach to the Cross.
some just a passing phase The events could not have been more Kevin Boorman, who played the part of a
different in form but each focused on Jesus Roman soldier, has missed being part of the
The Present’s filled with memories and making him known. event only once over the years.
Those of joy and those of sorrow The first, on Good Friday, was the annual ‘We go ahead come rain or shine,’ he told
Dr John Geater: using each day to the full Let’s build on them and learn from them procession of witness in the Old Town and the Grapevine, ‘but this year was the wettest I
Photo: John Hawkins to build a good Tomorrow powerful re-enactment of the crucifixion of can recall. I felt particularly for James Robus,
Jesus Christ. who played the part of Jesus again. He was
For there only is the Present The second event, the following day, was soaked and so cold but managed it very well.
the Past just tales to tell the Hastings Easter Festival, a contemporary ‘It was an emotional and powerful
but the Future will be greatly blessed music event created ‘to celebrate the death spectacle. However well acted though, it
Cover picture: Summerfields Woods, designated if we use God’s Present well and resurrection of Jesus Christ and its eternal could only give a glimpse of all that Jesus
a site of natural conservation importance
Photo: Mark Boulton hope and significance’. went though.’ >
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