Friends,

Lent begins with a reminder of our mortality. On Ash Wednesday, we joined in the ancient custom of using ashes to mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross. As the ashes were daubed, I said the words;  ‘Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return, turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ’. That sombre note stays with us for the season of Lent, as we strip away illusions of power and control and face the reality of what we truly are ephemeral, mortal and dependant. This is the most holy season in the church calendar and requires of us serious reflection on our lives, our priorities and ourselves. But it is not the purpose of Lent to plunge us all into gloom and depression but rather to allow a new light into our self-reflection during its 40 days.

To help us in our reflection, Raul, –an ordinand doing his church placement at St Marys, is working with Fr. Robert and they are inviting us to take a new look at Lent through art. This will be a weekly Zoom Lent conversation, an informal chatter about faith, life and the Cross. There is no special reading beforehand just come as you are and “tell us what you see” as we observe Lent through art.

Join us if you can, invite your friends and family just for an hour to our relaxed conversations every Thursday evening in Lent beginning March 2^nd.

Looking ahead

We are starting to look ahead full of gratitude and expectation about what God’s plans are for our neighbourhood, its people and us. As I said before it is on my heart to listen to each one of you very carefully before we move forward together, so please do feel free and get in touch.

May God bless and keep you

Shalom,

Fr. Andrew