Join in a Life-Changing Journey…..
The six week long Christian season of ‘Lent’ invites each of us to join in a very special ‘journey with Jesus’ as he lives out the final stages of his earthly ministry, revealing God’s amazing sacrificial love for each one of us – and, indeed the whole of creation - by the giving up of himself to an excruciating death on a Roman cross.
In my experience, a great many people associate the Christian season of Lent as a time to intentionally ‘give up something’ you personally enjoy (reflecting the traditional ‘Lenten fast’ by abstaining from certain foods), to heighten our appreciation of what Jesus experienced for our sake. 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 so that, as we journey with Jesus to the cross, our daily attitudes, choices and actions may also experience an amazing, life-enhancing transformation beyond our wildest dreams!
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 14 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!
You are most warmly invited to continue this life-changing ‘journey with Jesus’ by joining in this year’s Lenten Discussion Group opportunity which is being offered at All Saints Parish Church on Wednesday nights beginning 21st February through 27th March (7:00 to 8:30pm, with free refreshments ), featuring the acclaimed BBC series ‘Tales from the Madhouse.’
Eight arresting monologues, from award-winning actors including Helen Baxendale, Tony Robinson and James Cosmo, win our empathy as we gradually recognise them as players in a universal story….for, lurking in these stories, hidden in a crumbling asylum, are ‘eyewitnesses’ of Jesus: people like the Centurion, the thief on the cross, and Judas the betrayer.
In a series of powerful and thought-provoking short episodes, their motivations and private worlds are laid bare; we glimpse the moments when they brushed with someone who intrigued, galvanised, even astonished them. In meeting Jesus, they each touched the light –but, seven of these eight returned to the shadows…..the result is a series of gripping tales which dig deep down into their lives, and ours too – if we’re daring enough to join them on this journey of discovery!
Of course, the season of Lent culminates with the observance of Holy Week (Sunday 24th through Saturday 30th March), 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, 31st March……… further details about all of the special opportunities during Holy Week 2024 will be offered in next month’s Parish News, so please ‘stay tuned’!
With every blessing, Vicar John