Stainglass window
Christmas 2011
3rd Dec Advent Party
12th Dec @ 2pm
Carol Service at Oak tree Court
16th Dec @ 2.30pm
Carol Service at Stratford Court
17th Dec @11am
Carol Singing outside Co-Op
18th Dec Nativity and Christingle Service and Carol Service
24th Dec @ 11pm (Service starts at 11.30pm
United Service at URC Etwall Rd
25th Dec @10am
Christmas Day Service
Dear Friends
Lent is a time for spiritual reflection and preparation for the agony of holy Week when Jesus showed just how much he loved us by dying on the cross but also the joy of Easter day when he rose again.
Lent has, for many, become a time for giving something up- which is good if you want to lose weight or give something up you've wanted to do for ages. It has been suggested that the tradition of 'giving-up" comes out of the period of Jesus' self-imposed fasting in the wilderness for 40 days before he began his ministry (Luke 4: 1-15)
What people 'give-up' can either affect us outwardly or inwardly or both, but I'd like to spend a few minutes thinking about the inward because it can have an effect on the outward. A school colleague, who I knew was a Christian- asked me once what I was going to give up for Lent. my response, 'to search my heart and turn away from the worldly distractions for a period of time', kind of surprised him. "What do you mean- not giving up chocolate!", was his initial reply.
I believe that at the heart of lent, if we focus on the story of Jesus in the wilderness, is the idea of turning away from worldly distractions for a period of time to develop our spiritual relationship with God. In a sense, getting our heart and mind right with God means tuning our spirit in to his frequency.
I have it on good authority that in engineering from time to time different measuring equipment, e.g. light meters, gauges etc need to be re-calibrated, in order to continue to work well. In the same way that we all know that life can be one big distraction, from time to time we all need time to recalibrate ourselves. In other words to get the balance back, tp look inwardly, and as a result, to discover something more of what Jesus meant by living life in all its fullness.
Lent is one time we can do this, but may I add, not the only time, when we can search our own hearts to get read of self, to confront our sins and the distraction of the world. It is a time to ask God through his Holy Spirit to create in us a clean heart, and renew a right Spirit within us. By looking at the inside, the result will soon radiate to the outside and show by what we say and do.
It's something I need to do and I would encourage you to do the same this Lent and consequently. I believe, Easter will have even a greater meaning than ever before.
Every blessing
Paul