From the Parish Priest
Dear friends,
Well, we had a relatively normal Christmas! We could travel and gather together, we could sing together in church and enjoy each other’s company in our homes. I was able to be with my mum at new year for the first time in three years!
When things go wrong, or when we are stopped from doing what we usually do, there is always the temptation to look back at what we used to do and wish for it. That is completely understandable. However, we also have opportunities to look at what we could and can do now. This may even mean changing some of the things we do.
This month sees Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent when we are asked by the church to REPENT! The word repent has all sorts of overtones and undertones which are not always helpful, but it actually means to TURN AROUND. Lent has traditionally been the time when Christians have concentrated on the way we live our lives, on turning round back to live as Jesus calls us to. In some ways much of the traditional Lenten practice has been replaced in secular society by efforts such as Dry January which are about personal discipline and wellbeing.
The Christian church has been encouraging its members to live lives in love, prayer and service for all of its existence. In Lent we are called to think about how we can be better Christians, people, husbands, wives, employers, workers… by following Christ’s Call to live in his love.
I invite you all to use this time as we prepare for the great feast of Easter to explore God’s love, and join us for our worship across the benefice, and to our Lent exploration Group on Monday evenings, as we look towards what God is calling us to do and be in 2023.
With love and prayers,
Philip