Dear Friends
Gearing up for Lent.
Lent is an opportunity for us to have a good look at our lives. Traditionally this has been done by study, prayer and abstinence. Far better, however, if as well as our study and prayer our Lenten efforts benefit other people. So this Lent, I greatly encourage you to take part in our Beacon Parish Lenten Appeal. We will be raising money for Unicef by joining in their ‘Jar of Grace’ appeal.
The idea is that every time you sit down for a meal, firstly you thank God for your food, secondly you remember those who are less fortunate and thirdly you put some money into the Jar of Grace.
The money raised will be gathered up at the end of Lent and sent to Unicef who are working hard to prevent child malnutrition. Literature about the appeal and collection pots are available at church. I very much hope that this will be a hugely successful endeavour and that the contribution from our parish will be a blessing to the lives of those children who will benefit from it.
So how will we be studying during Lent?
This year, we will be following an excellent Lent Course written by Canon Peter Sills. ‘The Time has Come’ is a Lenten Journey with St Mark. Fr Peter will be giving a talk about his book on Ash Wednesday (22nd February) at 7pm. We will then be having study sessions on 29th February, 7th, 14th and 21st March.
Fr Peter will give a concluding talk on 28th March. All of these will take place at St Margaret’s at 7pm. Copies of his book will be available to purchase at church on Sundays.
Last, but by no means least, ‘Prayer’
I greatly encourage you to make a serious commitment to coming to church every Sunday during Lent. Your preparation for Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter Sunday will be very much enhanced by doing so. Furthermore, are there one or two mornings a week that you could come to Morning Prayer? Every weekday morning, at 9am, we will be follow a series of Lenten readings and prayers that will help you to experience the Lenten season and are ideal preparation for hearing afresh the story of Christ’s death and resurrection.
May God bless us this Lent that we may not remain unchanged, but, rather, grow in understanding, holiness and love in Christ’s name.
Fr David