In the church, the season of Lent has traditionally been a time of reflection and self-examination. We are encouraged to spend a little time thinking about where we are in our faith and where God might be leading us. As individuals, as church communities and as a society, we wander away from God and the path he wants us to follow. A little reflection can help us notice where we have strayed, how we might get back on the right path and how we can do better at staying on it.
In our Lent groups, are looking at some “holy habits” that can help us follow Jesus as individuals and as a church community. These holy habits are based on the description of the early church that Luke gives in the Acts of the Apostles. Last week we looked at learning from the bible in the light of Jesus use of scripture in the desert. This week we will be looking at serving and gladness and generosity in the light of Jesus description of his mission when he was in the synagogue at Nazareth. All are welcome, whether you managed to get to the first session or not.
This Sunday, at our café service, we start our dive into the book of Jonah. Jonah was called by God to go speak to the people of Nineveh. However, he decided to go in the opposite direction. In a similar way, Matthew tells us of a story Jesus told about a father with two sons. He asked both to work in the family vineyard. One said he would but didn’t, but the other said he wouldn’t but did. In the light of these stories, how can we be sure what God wants us to do? How do we react when we are not comfortable with what God wants? In addition to our usual discussion around tables, Diane will be running an activity for children aged between seven and twelve.
In addition to the café service, we also have communion at 8.00am at All Saints and at 10.00am at St Mary’s. this gives the following services for this Sunday, 26th February:
| 8.00 am | All Saints | Holy Communion (said) |
| 10.00 am | St Mary’s | Holy Communion |
| 10.30 am | All Saints | Café service |
Along with our Lent groups, and in addition to our normal pattern of weekday services for the coming week, there is the World Day of Prayer on Thursday at All Saints. Next Sunday, there are the usual services for the first Sunday of the month, with creative/open church at St Mary’s and Holy Communion at All Saints. This gives the following for the coming week:
| Tuesday 28th February | 7.30 pm | Lent group | |
| Wednesday 1st March | 9.00 am | All Saints | Celtic morning prayer |
| Wednesday 1st March | 2.00 pm | Lent group | |
| Thursday 2nd March | 10.00 am | St Mary’s | Holy Communion |
| Friday 3rd March | 2.00 pm | All Saints | World Day of Prayer |
| Sunday 5th March | 10.00 am | St Mary’s | Open/Creative church |
| 10.30 am | All Saints | Holy Communion | |
| 6:30 pm | St Mary’s | Evensong |
As we use these opportunities to reflect on God’s call to us and the path that he wants us to follow, let us pray for his strength, wisdom, and courage to discern and follow Christ in the words of the collect for this Sunday:
Heavenly Father,
your son battled with the powers of darkness,
and grew closer to you in the desert:
help us to use these days to grow in wisdom and prayer
that we may witness to your saving love
in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
May God bless and keep us all.
Mark
St Mary's, Fishponds 