Tag Archives: faith

The Season of Lent

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The season of Lent is almost upon us – in fact this year, it starts early in March – This is an article with a little background and history to the season – and the Festivals that mark it.

What is Lent?

Clouds over the fields, photograph, Paul Lucas
Paul Lucas

The season of Lent is the time of reflection, fasting and prayer that Christians follow in the run-up to Easter, the most important part of the Christian faith. Christmas celebrates Jesus’s birth, but Easter celebrates his resurrection and promise of new life to everyone.

The Lent season lasts six weeks and reflects the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert. Jesus spent this time alone there fasting, praying, thinking about his life ahead and his ministry to come. So, Lent begins with two contrasting days – Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday.

Shrove Tuesday

Also known by many different names around the world – In the UK, we call it ‘Pancake Day’, France and French speaking countries, ‘Mardi Gras’ (Fat Tuesday), Spanish, Portuguese and Italian it is called, ‘Carnival’ – Germany ‘Fastnachtsdienstag’.

Whatever the origin of the name, the celebrations include food treats to use up all the eggs, fat and flour in the house before the time of fasting. Famous Mardi Gras festivals take place in New Orleans in the USA and in Venice, Italy, the remarkable ‘Carnival’ is world famous. Although contrasting, masks and elaborate costumes are worn in both celebrations and music abounds from every door and alleyway.

Ash Wednesday

This is the first day of Lent and after everyone has sobered up from the day before, the seriousness of Lent begins. In the UK, palm crosses from the previous year are solemnly burnt before the Ash Wednesday service. The priest mixes the ashes with sacred oil and during the service, anoints each person with a cross on their forehead. This is a symbol of their faith and their journey ahead – during Lent and beyond.

Why do Easter and Lent change dates?

A question we often wonder! The date of Easter is determined by the ‘inconstant moon’, as Shakespeare’s Juliet called it – Easter falls on the first full moon after the Spring equinox (on 21st March) and Lent is the six weeks before that. However, the moon’s pattern varies, so therefore the date of Easter and Lent vary as well.

Why the Full Moon? The Full Moon is a time to celebrate – this tradition goes back to the Ancient World, when harvesting, planting, reaping and sowing of people’s precious food was governed by the passage of the moon. Many gardeners still work to this pattern today – often with great success.

This link to pre Christian traditions is an interesting one – many links to ancient traditions and habits of life underpin the new Christian ones. Indeed many Christian churches, including our own church of St Peter here in Church Langton were built on ground that held ancient spiritual significance.

What do we do in Lent?

The season of Lent traditionally is a time of restraint in eating, drinking alcohol, coupled with prayer, reading the Bible and perhaps following a Lent course with others. These days, in the UK, how a person follows Lent is almost determined by them – Fasting can be strict or cutting out something you really enjoy.

Lent has recently become the time for doing something different in your life – Trying something positive, like more exercise – It is a great time for boosting your personal health and well-being – Body, mind and spirit.

Sundays are always festival days during Lent, so a good meal can be taken before starting the restrictions again in the week ahead.

Mothering Sunday

Mothering Sunday is a festival in the UK Lent season. It comes halfway through the six week Lent period on the third Sunday. Families get together to celebrate, give thanks for their mothers or those who take that role for them. Primroses and violets are traditionally given on this day.

Holy Week

Holy Week is the last week of Lent and follows Jesus’s last week of life on earth – as we know it. The events of that momentous week begin with Palm Sunday, his meetings with his family, Martha and Mary and progresses to Maunday Thursday, the Last Supper, his arrest and torture overnight, to the sorrow and heartbreak of his death on Good Friday. The climax and the joy comes on Easter Sunday with Jesus’s resurrection and promise of new life.

St Peter’s Church, Reredos: Last Supper, J Reid, after Leonardo Da Vinci

Easter

Easter is the new season – New life, new energy, new hope – More of that to come!

For now, enjoy pancake day, join us for Ash Wednesday at Welham and maybe even the Lent course – We’d love to see you.

The Countdown to Easter

The Church of England has a really useful guide online called ‘The Countdown to Easter’ which you might enjoy reading

Learn more

Main photo courtesy Paul Lucas

Sunday Worship

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Holy Communion Service – Sunday 23rd February

Today’s Collect Prayer

Almighty God,
you have created the heavens and the earth
and made us in your own image:
teach us to discern your hand in all your works
and your likeness in all your children;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who with you and the Holy Spirit reigns supreme over all things,
now and for ever.

Today is the Second Sunday before Lent – (See our last Sunday worship post) It was lovely to see everyone turn out on what was another cold, grey February morning – Signs of Spring coming though and still the cheerful greeting of the snowdrops by the gate.

Snowdrops is a watercolour pen drawing by Maxine Dodd artist. The image shows simple outlines of the snowdrop flowers against the white background of the paper. Flowers are shaded lightly in pale blue wash and the leaves in warm apple green
‘Snowdrops’ by Maxine Dodd

Themes and thoughts

The first reading came from the first book of the Bible – Genesis, Chapter 2: 7, which tells of the creation of man and how he planted a garden in the east

“Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being”

“Every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”.

Breathe on me

Following this reading, we sang ‘Breathe on Me, Breath of God’ with words by Edwin Hatch, which tell’s of God’s breath of new life, after repentance and redemption.

‘Breathe on me, Breath of God,
fill me with life anew,
that I may love the way you love,
and do what you would do.

The second reading came from Luke’s Gospel and spoke of the women who formed part of Jesus’s group of supporters – the twelve disciples and these women, who used their own money to fund Jesus’s mission.

Luke, Chapter 8 ‘Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Mag′dalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Jo-an′na, the wife of Chu′za, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.

Thoughts and reflections on the importance of these women and women’s ministry – How Jesus included women in his work throughout his life – and how sad that the church has excluded them over time. Women’s contribution is essential and vital – yet time after time, culture after culture, they are demeaned and oppressed.

Prayers

The intercessions were said and we prayed for women and girls – those who live with oppression and are silenced, denied education and even simple fun that other children enjoy. We prayed for our world leaders and the momentous week of talks and meetings in the week to come.

St Peter's Church High Altar Window which shows the Deposition of Christ from the Cross and the women who tended him, including Mary, his Mother and Mary Magdalene
St Peter’s High Altar Window, which shows the Deposition of Christ and the women who tended him, including Mary, his mother and Mary Magdalene

Coffee and warm up afterwards

We followed the service with a good cup of hot coffee and tea – with warming ginger biscuits and a chat and catch up on the weekend’s rugby and football. Thanks to our service team for a warm and thought provoking service.

Lent 2025

Ash Wednesday – 5th March and this year’s Lent course which begins on 11th March were announced and details will be published here shortly.

Donations

Donations can be made to St Peter’s at any time from the secure payment site here. Donations go towards maintenance of the building, day to day service bills and supports our work in our small community. Donations can be made as one-offs or regular payments.

We thank you for your kind and continued support.

Donate to St Peter’s Church

Sunday Worship

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Holy Communion Service – Sunday 9th February

Today’s Collect Prayer

O God, you know us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: grant to us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Today is the fifth Sunday of the season of Epiphany – (See our last worship post) and fourth before the season of Lent. The first hymn we sang, ‘My Song is Love Unknown’ looks towards the Passion of Christ and Easter.

It was lovely to see everyone turn out on what was frankly a cold and grey February morning. The little group of snowdrops which grow beside the path gave a bright greeting.

Themes and thoughts

The theme of the service was Christ as the Living Water and the readings and talk reflected this. The Gospel reading was John 8:1-11 and the Old Testament was Jeremiah 17:13

A reflection on the theme of the Living Water, Jesus’s challenge to the authorities – which could only lead to the Cross – and his bravery by following that path.

Prayers from the Prayer Tree

The intercessions were said and the children’s prayers from the Prayer Tree were offered – The tree’s branches are ready for new prayers – drop in at any time and add yours.

St Peter's Prayer Tree
St Peter’s Prayer Tree

Coffee and warm up afterwards

We followed the service with a good cup of hot coffee and tea – with warming ginger biscuits and a chat and catch up on the weekend’s rugby and football. Thanks to our service team for a warm and thought provoking service.

Donations can be made to St Peter’s at any time from the secure payment site here. Donations go towards maintenance of the building, day to day service bills and supports our work in our small community. Donations can be made as one-offs or regular payments.

We thank you for your kind and continued support.

Donate to St Peter’s Church