What is Lent for? As i growing up I would wonder what Lent was all about. Church taught me about the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by Satan. That idea of self-denial seemed to fit with the ideas of giving things up for Lent that were all around me. Have you ever given something up for lent?

Have you ever thought of the alternative and taken something on?

Perhaps lent is something more than giving up. It is a time of preparation. In the first few hundred years of the church, when it was still a growing movement, the 40 days before Easter became a time of instruction and preparation for Baptism and acceptance into the church - often whold families were baptised. Each day for at least 3 hours, those wanting to be baptised had to receive teaching on the meanings of the sacraments (for the Methodist church we have 2 sacraments The lord's supper and baptism). Some of them even lived in the church, shutting themselves off from the outside world whilst they drew close to the mystery of the death and resurrection. Can you imagine that? Let’s perhaps be thankful that that’s not what the church expects nowadays!

But, we shouldn’t reject out of hand the idea that Lent is a time for contemplation and for learning - that is why our study groups are so important and the home groups that will commence from our lent groups will be an important part of our church life - why not join one?

Lent is not just a time for giving-up things that we like (cake, chocolate etc etc), but also a time to make good any relationships that are going wrong in preparedness for the great celebration of Easter. This is traditionally done through prayer (relationship with God), fasting (relationship with self) and through charitable giving (relationship with neighbour). I think it’s a real shame that parts of the church and society in general has forgotten the first and the last of these practices and that Lenten discipline has become focussed on self-denial. The primary purpose of Lent is not to deny ourselves the things we enjoy but to redress the balance of our lives.

On Maundy Thursday you are invited to Bold Street at 7.30pm in the hall for a service on hand washing and communion and our Good Friday service at Latchford at 10.45am for a service of reflection and contemplation. Please do come along to these services.

So I pray that you will find time this Lent to fix your eyes upon the cross and journey into a deeper relationship with God and the world around you.

Every blessing

Jackie