Wednesday 8 March 2023

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

I look forward to seeing many of you this weekend, both on Saturday and on Sunday.

Spring Sale, Saturday 11th March
Do come and join us, 10am - 2pm, and bring your friends and neighbours. There will be the usual second hand books stall, food stall, home baked cakes, jams and crumpets, hand made cards, and our cafe/restaurant will be open for snacks and lunch. These occasions are wonderful community events as well as an opportunity to raise funds for the church. I hope to see you there!

Sunday, 12th March
This Sunday it will be a Sung Eucharist. I know that many people really appreciate singing part of the liturgy. Thank you to David S for playing. Junior Church and creche will be provided for the children.

LENT ACTIVITIES:

Lent Course
For this year's Lent course, I will be offering 4 sessions on Praying with the English Mystics. These 14th century writers have a single-minded desire for God and their writings can inspire us to deepen our prayer and spiritual life and grow in our longing for God. The sessions will be on Wednesday evenings and the first session will be THIS EVENING, 7.00-8.15pm. I will introduce the writers and speak about Richard Rolle. I sent out a handout yesterday, but I attach it again here. Please have it with you for the session. (Ask me for the zoom link.)

Meditating on Scripture: Lectio Divina
We meet on Thursday mornings, 10.30-11.15am (via zoom) to ponder a short passage of scripture in silence and then to share our reflections. It is a way of allowing Scripture to speak deeply into our hearts and lives. If you have never tried this, why not try it out this Lent?
NB If anyone would like to meet for lectio on an evening, please let me know. If there are several people I will try to lead an evening group, in addition to the morning one.

Lent Eco-Tips
Can we think about how our lifestyle contributes to the environmental crisis and the effects of climate change? I attach some ideas to help us live more simply during Lent. One of the suggestions is to eat vegetarian food. If you have any good vegetarian recipes, please send them to the office and we will compile a St Ursula's vegetarian cookbook.

Night Prayer (Compline)
During Passiontide, we invite you to join us for the short reflective service of Night Prayer, on zoom, every evening at 9pm. This will begin on Saturday 25th March

Lent is traditionally a time when we make more space to pray and reflect. I end with a poem about prayer. I have shared this poem with you before, but I do not apologise for sending it out again! It is a wonderfully simple but thought provoking poem. I hope it will prompt you to think about how you pray and remind you that prayer is a two way communication with God.

How I Talk to God

Coffee in one hand,
leaning in to share, listen:
How I talk to God.

'Momma, you're special.'
Three-year-old touches my cheek.
How God talks to me.

While driving I make
lists: done, do, hope, love, hate, try.
How I talk to God.

Above the highway
hawk: high, alone, free, focused.
How God talks to me.

Rash, impetuous
chatter, followed by silence.
How I talk to God.

First, second, third, fourth
chance to hear, then another:
How God talks to me.

Fetal position
under flannel sheets, weeping
How I talk to God.

Moonlight on pillow
tending to my open wounds
How God talks to me.

Pulling from my heap
of words, the ones that mean yes:
How I talk to God.

Infinite connects
with finite, without words:
How God talks to me. (Kelly Belmonte)

With love in Christ,
Helen