With Easter fast approaching, Chris talks about being a Christian and what the celebration means to him.

“Being a Christian provides a source of comfort and a framework for how to live my life. It supports me in times of great change and helps me feel a sense of belonging to a community.

“When I was 18 years old, I converted to Buddhism because I liked the way the philosophy side sounded to me and the idea of karma was interesting. I also moved to Japan and South Korea in my 20s and learned so much about Buddhism from local temples. It helped me with my life at the time as it provided a structure and a moral code to guide me. I was part of a global community which was always very appealing.

“I converted back to Christianity about 18 months ago when I began to feel like something was still missing. I wouldn’t say I missed my Christian faith as such, but I did feel a calling to return to the Church and find out more. I went to a local free Church (not a state Church) and was welcomed and given time to ask questions and learn more.

“I attend this Church twice a week, on a Sunday morning with my mum and on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening to work in small groups about the lessons learned from Sunday. If I can’t attend in person for any reason, I will watch the service live on YouTube or the recording later. I’m so grateful for the support and kindness the congregation offers me and each other.

“Easter is one of the most important festivals in the Christian calendar. It celebrates the defeat of death and the hope of salvation. It’s about freedom and redemption. It is the greatest example of second chances in history.

“While I believe that Christmas is more important to Christians as it’s the beginning of the story of Jesus Christ and provides much-needed joy in mid-winter, I prefer Easter. There’s a lot less pressure on people, but there’s still time to spend with family and friends. I spend Easter Sunday morning at Church and then with my family for a meal at my mum’s house. Plus, with Easter, there is a bonus of eating chocolate eggs!”