Lent 2023

Lent

Ash Wednesday

The Season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday, February 22nd with a Service of Holy Communion in church (and on Zoom) at 6.00pm. This included the "Imposition of Ashes" (the sign of the cross, made on our foreheads in ash, as a sign of our penitence).

Lent is a time when we can re-energize our Christian life in a number of ways:

-       attending the Lent Devotions and Study on Wednesdays (see below for details.

-       finding time for quiet and prayer each day. You could use the free Pause for Thought books that we distributed, written by the Revd Graham Smith. If you don’t have a copy, you can take one from the back of church.

There are also many forms of prayer online.

For example, see the options on this page of the Church of England’s website:

https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer

…..or if you are comfortable with downloading and using apps, have a look for the prayer and bible study apps that are available…..like Lectio 365:

https://www.24-7prayer.com/dailydevotional

…….or just search online for Morning Prayer Livestream and you will find many cathedrals, parish churches and religious communities that offer this (including St Mary's Fairford, via Facebook, 9am daily, with bible reflection).

…….or read a little of the Bible each day – perhaps making your way slowly through one of the Gospels.

-       following the journey through HOLY WEEK: Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.

-       reading a ‘Lent Book’. You can search online for Lent Books 2023.

-       Consider fasting for part of one day a week, perhaps missing a lunch (but make sure that, medically, you can fast safely, and that you are in a secure place, doing very little, and taking fluids.) Fasting can give us feelings of holy simplicity, purging and refreshment, and a new sense of closeness to God.

-       Give something up for Lent that you will miss. This helps us remember how lucky we are to have what we have, given the extreme poverty in much of our world.

-       Take something on. Have extra contact with a relative, friend or neighbour. Have a search online for Lent initiatives 2023.

-       Be generous. Put to good use the money that you have saved by giving something up; make (a) special Lenten charity donation/s, or a special Lenten donation to our own church of Holy Trinity, Bramley.

May we all have a special and blessed Lent.


Lent Prayer and Study
On Wednesday mornings during Lent (which happens to be all five Wednesdays in March) there will be an opportunity for shared prayer, reflection and fellowship starting at 10.45. (Note: 9.45 on Sundays and 10.45 on Wednesdays....there is a certain symmetry!). As much as possible will also be on Zoom.

The 10.45 worship will be followed by a Bible Study until noon. Each week, we will study the Gospel reading for the following Sunday.

This is also with a view to having a time every Wednesday morning - for prayer, worship and reflection. With Trinity Toddlers also meeting on Wednesdays, connections can also be made with them. There will he a strong focus on praying for our whole parish and for the life of Holy Trinity. 

The dates for the five Lent sessions: Wednesdays 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th March

Each Wednesday in the month will take a different form:

On the 1st Wednesday (March 1st) we can join the Communion in Blunden Court at 10.45 then move down to the church for a group meeting, at about 11.15 (if you would prefer to come straight to that).

On the 2nd Wednesday (March 8th) 
10.45 Morning Prayer, then Bible Study.  Downloads:

On the 3rd Wednesday (March 15th) 
10.45 Simple Communion, then Bible Study.


On the 4th Wednesday (March 22nd) 
10.45 Meditation and Silent Prayer, then Bible Study.


On the 5th Wednesday (March 29th) 
10.45 Simple Communion, then Bible Study.

We do hope that you will want to take part.....live, or on Zoom!