St Nicholas Parish Church Fleetwood. Week beginning 5th February 2023

We seek to be a church that lives by faith, is known by love and

is a voice of hope to the community we serve.

Website https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/11671

Sunday 5th February 3rd Before Lent

8.30 am Holy Communion in Church

9.30 am Worship on Zoom

10.45 am Holy Communion in Church Sidespersons Susan & Christine. Reader - Margaret

4.00 pm Family & Co in the Broadway Rooms

Tuesday 7th February

2.00 pm Holy Communion in Church

Thursday 9th February

10.00 am Community Coffee Morning & Warm Hub in the Jubilee Room

Friday 10th February

9.00 am Little Gang in the Broadway Rooms

Sunday 12th February 2nd Before Lent

8.30 am Communion by Extension in Church

9.30 am Worship on Zoom

10.45 am Holy Communion in Church Sidespersons. Reader – Judith & Dorothy W. Reader Sandra

12.30 pm Baptisms of Jayden and Barney Welcome and Set Up – Dorothy W

4.00 pm Family & Co in the Broadway Rooms

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Today we start the countdown to Lent. The books of daily Lenten reflections prepared by representatives from within the Diocese will be with us shortly and will help us to refocus. Lent is a significant season in the year for us. It is a time of solemnity and self-reflection where we confess our failings and resolve to live a more godly life based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. You may be in the habit of surrendering a particular vice such as a favourite food or alcohol. But whatever your sacrifice, it is a reflection of Jesus' deprivation in the wilderness and a test of your own self-discipline.

Rather than just go through the motions of ‘another Lent’ it would be wonderful if we would all resolve to strive to be a little more godly at the end of it. We have three more Sundays before we mark the start of Lent with Ash Wednesday. Let’s use this time to decide how we are going to use these forty days in our own lives.

In the famous words of University Challenge, “Here is a starter for ten…!”

Let us this Lent fast from complaining and feast on appreciation. Let us fast from hostility and feast on tenderness. Let us fast from bitterness and feast on forgiveness. Let us fast from self-concern and feast on compassion for others. Let us fast from words that pollute and feast on phrases that purify.

Let us fast from discontent and feast on gratitude. Let us fast from personal anxiety and feast on eternal truth. Let us fast from discouragement and feast on hope. Let us fast from thoughts that weaken and feast on promises that inspire. Let us fast from problems that overwhelm and feast on prayer that undergirds.

100 Club: winners recently include Muriel Freestone, Shirley Kershaw, Penny Meekins, Barbara Quirk and Tracey Meekins.

Please remember in your prayers – Dorothy Angel, Rev Jane Everitt, Rev Martin Keighley, Elizabeth King, Chris Kelsall, Michaela Jones, Emily Lowe, Janice Porter & Mark Price. Please also remember the families of, Betty Hart, Eleanor Riseborough & Clara Pilling whose funerals are due to take place.