Dear friendsToday and tomorrow are referred to in the Church of England as "Ember Days". These are days (including the Wednesday before) set aside to mark the passage of a season, and occur 4 times a year. Ember Days invite us to be attentive to God's created order in the passing of seasons - of the life of the earth as well as within our own lives. The readings on these days are often penitential - that is, they invite us to remember our call, and the deliberately turning away from sin and turning towards the life that Jesus invites us to be part of. It is good to be prompted to lift our gaze from the issues, experiences, situation immediately in front of us to be reminded of God's wider purpose, and our response to say "yes" to living within that purpose.That can be easier said that done, of course, particularly when we feel under pressure, unable to cope with any more 'bad news', because it's more convenient or easier to just focus on our own needs rather than of those around us, or because we just feel angry / anxious / jealous / left out / unsatisfied / unheard / unloved. As we will explore in the readings on Sunday, the decision to say "yes" to Jesus is costly, it does require us to 'carry a cross', to be honest before God, and to accept that a life with Him is not a smooth untroubled path (that isn't what real life is like) but that where there are potholes or boulders in the way, we have a greater light and love to follow that will enable us to get through.The Ember Days at this time of the year are days in which we are invited to specifically pray for those preparing to be ordained, and of course we pray for Rosemary as she enters into her retreat week before she says "yes" to her ordination as a Deacon next Sunday. We also pray for Caroline, Ruth and Sarah who will be ordained to the priesthood next Saturday, and who spent time on placement with us here at St Martin's. This is a significant 'rite of passage' in this season of their lives - my own theological view is that they will be forever changed through their ordinations, in the same way that we are forever changed through our baptism.So whatever stage of life you are in today, whatever mood you are in, whatever you are experiencing, I pray that you will join in with the invitation on this Ember Day to be attentive to where God is in this season. To remember that you are loved with a love that will not let you go, and invited into this life and world transforming relationship. You only need to say "yes".With love in ChristBecky