‘Lent’….A Season for Reflecting, Learning and Growing
In my experience, a great many people associate the Christian season of Lent - which helps us ‘journey with Jesus’ through the final stages of his earthly ministry, and winding up crucified on a Roman cross - as ‘giving up something’ you personally enjoy, to help you become more aware of the costly, sacrificial love God offered the entire world through Jesus’ suffering and death. For all who find this a valuable practice, I warmly commend it to you…..but it’s important to add that, whether you embrace this practice or not, Lent can and should be a special time in which each one of us is invited and challenged to engage in deeper and richer opportunities for reflecting, learning and growing as human beings!
May I take this opportunity to invite you to join in any - or indeed all - of the following local opportunities which everyone in the communities of Alrewas, Fradley and Wychnor are most warmly welcome to participate in during the upcoming Lenten season:
Ash Wednesday ‘United Service’ at All Saints
Parish Church, Wednesday 22 February, 7:30pm
The ’40 day’ Lenten journey begins with this important day, with the use of ‘ash’ on our foreheads reminding us of our mortality and our ultimate dependence on God for life in all its fullness, and Holy Communion to fortify us for the journey ahead!
This year, there are two different ecumenical ‘Lent Discussion Group’ opportunities on offer, for the communities of Alrewas, Fradley and Wychnor… to stimulate our reflecting and growing alongside one another (both are free-of-charge, offer warm spaces and refreshments, and you would be warmly welcome to join in either - or both - if you wish!):
At Alrewas Methodist Church, a morning discussion group (from 10:45 am to 12 noon) will be held on Wednesdays beginning 1st March. It will be exploring the theme, The Kingdom of God is Justice and Peace, produced by the charity ‘Embrace the Middle East’. The course is Bible-based, and there will be plenty of opportunity for reflection, discussion - and a cup of coffee too!
At All Saints Parish Church, an evening discussion group (7:00 to 8:30pm, five sessions beginning on Wednesday 1st March), based on the acclaimed film The Greatest Showman, dramatizing the life of P.T. Barnum through an engaging storyline and inspirational songs, as he strives to create a ‘novel’ form of entertainment we’ve come to know as ‘the Circus’ or ‘Big Top’.
To help us with our discussions, we’ll be using material from Rachel Mann’s booklet, ‘From Now On’, and selected film clips to help us explore the themes of ‘hope’ and ‘redemption’ in the story; over the five sessions, we’ll be reflecting on how faith, hope and redemption run through our own lives as well, and how - like P.T. Barnum and the members of his circus - we too can face and overcome doubt, temptation and prejudice, and live our lives more authentically.
Many people have already seen the film, but if you’ve not seen it before - or would enjoy the opportunity of watching it with others interested in this discussion group - an advance screening of it will take place in All Saints Church on Sunday 26th February at 4:00pm.
Of course, the season of Lent culminates with the observance of Holy Week (Sunday 2nd through Saturday 8th April), including special worship opportunities and events focussing on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday in the churches serving our three communities, and culminating with a glorious celebration of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday, 9th April…..further details about all of the special opportunities during Holy Week 2023 will be offered in upcoming editions of the Parish News, so please ‘stay tuned’!
With every blessing,
Vicar John