Tomorrow at 2pm outside St Michael-Le-Belfry Church, next to York Minster, I will be baptising several people who have decided to give their lives to Jesus Christ. We’ll be in a big open-air pool.

I hope it will be warm, but you can never tell until you get in!

Every year, our open-air baptisms are a fantastic occasion that attracts hundreds of people who like to come and sing, clap, cheer and even get wet.

None of this would happen without that first Good Friday. When Jesus died on the cross he made it possible for us to turn our lives right round and begin again. That is what baptism is all about.

Most of us don’t like change. We like things to be familiar. But restoration and renewal is essential for life – as we long to see soon in the coming of spring after a long hard winter.

Change can bring life to things which have become old or tired. It can bring excitement, challenges and adventure.

We shouldn’t be afraid of the unknown. If you don’t occasionally take risks you will never know what you could achieve in your life. You never know what is on the horizon, but you can be filled with hope that something better lies ahead.

We have just seen a new Pope beginning his ministry – the latest successor of St Peter as Bishop of Rome. I hope that the simplicity and directness of Pope Francis’ teaching of the Gospel will inspire a new generation. It was a privilege and a joy to meet him last Wednesday and to hear his call to care for our world, and for one another, especially for the vulnerable, the young, the old, and those living in poverty. It does indeed feel like a time of new beginnings for the Church worldwide. May we all be strengthened and given new vision this Easter.

Closer to home, we have a new manager at York City! I hope and trust that Nigel Worthington will not only instil our team and City with a new confidence but also that through his skills and experience he can keep us in the Football League. Onwards and upwards.

Getting baptised means entering a whole new world made possible by Jesus’s death and resurrection. It is the start of an adventure, a journey in which God promises to be with you, no matter what. He’s there in the good times and in the bad times. At our Baptism we say publicly that we put our trust in God and do our best to turn our backs on our old sinful or selfish ways.

It’s a difficult promise to keep, but in Baptism God also gives us the Holy Spirit, who makes all things possible. We learn to forgive others and be honest with ourselves. God loves us and forgives us when we fail, whether we deserve it or not. But it takes courage to step forward, and take a leap of faith to make a fresh start.

Jesus called this fresh start with God being “born again” by water and the Spirit. All we need is the courage to turn to Christ and embrace the adventure that lies ahead. What a journey it promises to be.

Come and join us tomorrow. Come to the new outdoor baptistery outside St Mike’s and watch the action. Who knows, you may even catch some of the spray, as the water of Baptism splashes over us with new life and new beginnings.

“Do not be afraid”. Whatever changes come there is no need to fear – we are loved with a perfect love.

Happy Easter!