Lent
We begin the observance of Lent on Ash Wednesday, which
falls on 22nd February this year, and we will mark this with a united Sung
Eucharist at St James’s at 7.30pm, which will include the imposition of ashes,
a symbol of penitence. Lent originated as a fast in preparation for baptism at
Easter, and forty days naturally suggested themselves as being the period of
Jesus’s fast in the wilderness. In the Early Church and throughout the Middle
Ages, fasting was taken very seriously as a spiritual discipline. People
abstained from eating meat and also eggs and milk products and usually did not
break their fast until the evening, although this was gradually brought forward
until the afternoon. For us, fasting before Communion and on Good Friday may be
just a distant memory. And yet the idea of a thorough review of our Christian
life and discipleship is just as relevant today as it was in past ages.
We need to consider the traditional Lenten disciplines of
fasting, prayer, almsgiving and study. We may find it helpful to give up some
luxury or a meal once a week or eat more simply and perhaps donate the money we
have saved to some worthy cause. This is a sign that we are not slaves to what
we eat. Alternatively, we should review our rule of prayer and worship and make
sure that we worship regularly on Sundays and receive Communion at least
monthly. Personal prayer will be different for all of us but we should all make
time for prayer and to be silent before God in order to hear what he is calling
us to do, because this is the source of the inspiration for the whole of our
Christian life. Equally, Lent is an opportunity for us to review what we give
to the church and what we give to charities in order to help those in need.
This year, both churches, as part of their Mission Action
Plans, have pledged themselves to conduct an audit of the time and talents
available within the two congregations. If our two churches are to prosper and
to fulfil their mission it is absolutely vital that we harness the gifts and time
of the laity in what is called ‘Every member ministry’, because the resources
of ordained ministry are going to be much thinner on the ground in the future.
We are hoping that a pioneer minister will be based in Biddenham in 2012/13,
subject to availability, to work across both parishes with a special brief for
the new housing developments, but to be fully effective we need the gifts of
every member of our two congregations. I hope that you will use this
opportunity of reflection in Lent to discern what you can offer in your
particular congregation. If you have an idea about this, however small it may
seem to you, please do approach either the churchwardens or myself and mention
it to us.
Finally, sacred study is always a part of our Lenten
observance and this year we are following one of the York courses, ‘Handing on
the Torch’, featuring on the CD Clifford Longley, Roman Catholic journalist and
broadcaster, Rachel Lampard, responsible for the Methodist Church’s engagement
with political issues, Archbishop Sentamu and Bishop Graham Cray, Missioner and
Leader of the Fresh Expressions team. There will be five sessions: A Christian
Country? A Secular Society? A Beleaguered Church? Competing Creeds? Handing on
the Torch.
We will be joined for this by members from the Shalom Group
of Churches and the study groups will be held at All Saints Church Hall on
Mondays at 7.30pm starting on 20th February ( but omitting 12th
March) and concluding on 26th March. They will also be held at St.
James’s Barn on Thursdays at 2.30pm starting on 1st March and
concluding on 29th March. There will be a list to sign up for this
in each church. This course is open to everyone, not only to church members. I
very much hope that you will join us for this opportunity to share our insights
and deepen our faith.
I hope that Lent will be a time of renewal in faith, in life
and in prayer for each one of you.
Stephen Huckle