I write this letter on the last Sunday in February, still buzzing from the Penshurst Pantomime and wondering when my knees might stop hurting from the dancing in character! I sit looking out on The Rectory garden where signs of Spring are starting to show through. It has seemed like a particularly long winter with so much rain and mud to contend with. This is a beautiful season with signs of new life everywhere. I have seen my first lambs of the season in the fields in Chiddingstone Causeway; the daffodils are starting to pop through at the roadsides and beautiful clusters of snowdrops and crocuses are in the churchyards.

By the time this letter lands on your doormats we will have marked the start of the season of Lent. This is an opportunity to still ourselves before God; evaluate our lives and prepare our hearts and minds ready to meet afresh with the Risen Lord Jesus on Easter Day. Many people use Lent to give up something such as sweets, alcohol or a bad habit; others choose to take up something for Lent perhaps time helping others, more time spent in prayer, more exercise or time reading the Bible.

The Lent season stretches from Ash Wednesday, which this year falls on 22 Feb, through to sundown on Holy Saturday, which this year falls on 8 April. There are six Sundays in Lent and these are considered days when it is permissible to break from our Lenten fasting.

Revd Lindsay and I will be leading a Lent Course called ‘By Bread Alone’. Our course invites people to meet in person once a week to think more deeply about Stewardship. Stewardship refers to the ways we use our time, talent, and treasure as an outworking of our Christian faith. We will, together, study the bible readings and special prayers allocated for Lent. During the 4 sessions we will ask people to think and reflect upon:

· What we mean by stewardship
· How we might respond to God’s abundance in creation
· How human values and constructs can put us in conflict with God’s plans for us
· How we can be distracted from offering God our best selves
· How being generous stewards of our resources draws others to God

In each session we will watch films made by BibleProject.com to further inform our discussions.

There will be courses running across the Benefice – please see attached flyer for information on dates and locations. Do drop me an e mail at [email protected] if you would like further details.

I wish you a blessed month ahead.

Yours in Christ,

Revd Lisa Cornell
Rector