Wednesday 5 March 2025

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today we begin Lent. During this period, we are encouraged to make more time for prayer and reflection, root ourselves more deeply in God's love, and grow and be fruitful. I hope that many of you will be able to come to the service tonight as we mark the beginning of this important season

Ash Wednesday Eucharist TODAY at 6.30pm:
This special service includes time for self-examination and confession and the traditional ashing.

Morning Prayer (online):
During Lent, we will be saying Morning Prayer together at 8.30am, Monday - Thursday, via zoom. This will start on Monday 10th March. Do join us. If you would like to know more about this, please do ask for the zoom link.

Lent Quiet Morning:
I will be leading a Quiet Morning with reflection on Scripture, silence and prayer on Saturday 15th March, 9.30-1pm (in church). I will give three short reflections and offer suggestions for meditation and prayer during the periods of silence. Do take up this opportunity for space, silence and prayer in the midst of our busy lives. Please let me know if you would like to come.

Joining a House Group during Lent:
If you are interested in joining a house group during the period of Lent, please let me know as soon as possible. These meetings include Bible study, sharing concerns, and praying together.

Nicene Creed:
There is material produced by the Diocese reflecting on the Nicene Creed. If anyone is interested in more information, let me know.

Eco Report, Eco Newsletter, and Next Steps
I am attaching again our Eco Group report after the recent Eco Forum. As part of the report there is opportunity to sign up for our Eco newsletter. If you haven's signed up yet, and would like to do so, please sign up before 5pm today.
Our first Eco newsletter (which includes a Lent Challenge) will come out at 5pm today for those who have signed up for it.

As part of the litany of self-examination and confession in the service this evening we confess our failure to look after God's creation. I conclude with a poem which brings together these themes.

Ash Wednesday
Receive this cross of ash upon your brow,
Brought from the burning of Palm Sunday's cross;
The forests of the world are burning now
And you make late repentance for the loss.
But all the trees of God would clap their hands,
The very stones themselves would shout and sing,
If you could covenant to love these lands
And recognise in Christ their lord and king.
He sees the slow destruction of those trees,
He weeps to see the ancient places burn,
And still you make what purchases you please
And still to dust and ashes you return.
But hope could rise from ashes even now,
Beginning with this sign upon your brow.
Malcolm Guite

With love in Christ,
Helen