Traditionally, paper or cotton is given on the occasion of a first wedding anniversary. I think I gave my wife flowers – in fact, a bunch of hydrangeas, in the same colour as those that formed our wedding bouquet. Contemporary couples apparently give clocks and watches, though the logic for that choice eludes me. Is it to introduce some objectivity into those first-year fights about who’s always early and who’s always late?

The early church may have given some thought as to how to mark the occasion of their first anniversary of Easter, in order to remember Jesus’ death and resurrection. No doubt they had committees by then, and I can just imagine the keen enthusiasm of the brain-storming session… sessions (plural), with formal Minutes, and the casting vote of a duly-elected Chairperson; though I doubt that such exalted ideas such as Easter-egg hunts and hat-parades quite made it to the table.

We are not left to wonder how the weekend unfolded, for we are told in the Book that on that first anniversary, Herod had James the Apostle beheaded, and intended to dispatch Peter in the same fashion. James’ brother John must have been devastated. So too the church, which promptly cancelled whatever events it had planned to conduct an urgent prayer meeting to petition for Peter’s release. The miracle that happened next no doubt removed any lingering disappointments about having to cancel the jumping castle, and reminded the church afresh about the source of real spiritual power.