Dear friends,

I wonder what makes you excited? What builds a sense of anticipation in your life? For me it is often music – waiting for the release of a new track or looking forward to going to a live show. The build-up is often a big part of it for me, speculating on what it will be like, what songs they might play, how the new album will go down with the fans. For you it might be something very different that comes to mind such as waiting to unwrap a present or moving into a new house. Equally but in the opposite, I am sure we can all think of times we have been filled with a sense of dread or nerves. Waiting for that meeting to come around at work, wishing you didn’t have to go to a GP appointment to receive test results, watching on as events unfold on the news. Whatever examples we might think of, there is always a sense of heightened emotion leading up to a significant event in our lives. On Wednesday night a small group of us experienced that sense of heightened emotion as we participated in the first of four Stations of the Cross for beginners events in church. I call it an event despite its small scale because it is somewhere between a service and a small group, with space for reflection and discussion built into the me together. As always it was very moving to travel between the pictures, thinking about how Jesus might have felt and allowing our imaginations to help us enter into the scene. It is not too late to join in – no sign up required, just come along on a Wednesday in lent at 7pm and we will explain how we will visit the next four stations. Equally, if you are unable to make it but would like to join in, then the reflections are available either in church or by email (just send a request to Beth). This way you could make your own way around them in your own me after a service.

As we continue to move through lent, I would love to hear from you about how you are engaging this year, what have you felt compelled to either give up or take up? I am going to follow Bishop Viv’s advice and try to take me to really appreciate certain things. For me this will involve going on tiny slow walks in my neighbourhood to notice and observe creation and all that is around me as well as making coffee slowly in my garden. Bishop Viv passed on a suggestion by Stephen Cherry: If you love chocolate don’t give it up this year but become a discerning and appreciative chocolate connoisseur – and see what comes of that.

As a bit of a coffee snob already, it shouldn’t be too hard for me to take this a step further!

So, get in touch or find me after a service and tell me about what you are doing this lent to engage in this season where we allow our senses and emotions to become heightened as we anticipate the coming of Holy Week and Easter.

This week we will have Holy Communion services at 8:30 & 10:30 the first being our beautiful spoken service and the second with hymns and Sunday Spirit hopes to capture something of the awe and wonder that comes as we worship a God who is far beyond our imaginations. Come, you are welcome and invited!

Hope to see you soon, Phil