Lenten Reflection – Saturday 28 February 2009
February 28, 2009 | Comments Off
Daily Reflections
on the
Lenten Journey
This set of reflections is offered as a way to keep yourself open to God during the season of Lent.
Choose a time and a place where you will be able to have 10-15 minutes uninterrupted.
You will need a Bible in order to look up the full gospel passage for each day, or you could use an online bible source like http://bible.oremus.org/
We also encourage you to “make a date” with one or two others, once a week, to reflect together on any particular insights, questions, thoughts, challenges or learnings that have been significant for you.
May your reflecting time be fruitful and blessed!
Gospel reading for the day: Luke 5: 27-32
31Jesus answered, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; 32I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.’
Sometimes our perspective on our identity as “sinners” gets out of balance. We can get weighed down with feeling that we are no good – miserable offenders with no hope of redress. Alternately we can feel that we are squeaky clean and that it’s others who are the sinners. Sin is a fact of life. We get out of focus, distracted from the God-life, we put up blocks – deliberately or otherwise - to God communicating with us, and think we know best. God loves us and delights in us, and longs for us to reconnect. The sinful aspect of our identity is not a barrier for God, only for us.
What aspect of the way you live your life do you feel most ashamed of?
Almighty and merciful God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all who are penitent;
create in us new and contrite hearts,
so that when we turn to you and confess our sins
we may receive your full and perfect forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lenten Reflection – Friday 27 February 2009
February 27, 2009 | Comments Off
Daily Reflections
on the
Lenten Journey
This set of reflections is offered as a way to keep yourself open to God during the season of Lent.
Choose a time and a place where you will be able to have 10-15 minutes uninterrupted.
You will need a Bible in order to look up the full gospel passage for each day, or you could use an online bible source like http://bible.oremus.org/
We also encourage you to “make a date” with one or two others, once a week, to reflect together on any particular insights, questions, thoughts, challenges or learnings that have been significant for you.
May your reflecting time be fruitful and blessed!
—
Gospel reading for the day: Matthew 9: 14-15
14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often,* but your disciples do not fast?’ 15And Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding-guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
Lent is a solemn season, but it is not a time for long faces. We still have the bridegroom with us, yet we know with hindsight that he will be taken from us in dramatic events of Holy Week. So as we plan our Lenten rhythm, we provide space in our days for joy and delight as well as time in our schedule for self-examination and repentance.
Notice what brings (has brought) you joy or delight today.
How can that help you live with hope?
Holy God, help us to keep Lent faithfully.
Give us grace to let go of those things
that we do not need,
and ready to receive with joy
the treasures of Heaven.
In Christ we pray. Amen.
Lenten Reflection – Thursday 26 February 2009
February 26, 2009 | Comments Off
Daily Reflections
on the
Lenten Journey
This set of reflections is offered as a way to keep yourself open to God during the season of Lent.
Choose a time and a place where you will be able to have 10-15 minutes uninterrupted.
You will need a Bible in order to look up the full gospel passage for each day, or you could use an online bible source like http://bible.oremus.org/
We also encourage you to “make a date” with one or two others, once a week, to reflect together on any particular insights, questions, thoughts, challenges or learnings that have been significant for you.
May your reflecting time be fruitful and blessed!
—
Gospel reading for the day: Luke 9: 22-25
23 Then he said to them all, ‘If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
From the Rule of Benedict Chapter 49:
During these days, therefore, let us increase somewhat the usual burden of our service, as by private prayers and by abstinence in food and drink.
Thus everyone of his own will may offer God “with joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thess. 1:6) something above the measure required of him.
In what aspect of your life with God do you hope to grow this Lent?
Holy God, help us to keep Lent faithfully.
Give us grace to let go of those things
that we do not need,
that we may be free to receive
the treasures of Heaven.
In Christ we pray. Amen.
Lenten Reflection – Ash Wednesday – 25 February, 2009
February 25, 2009 | Comments Off
Daily Reflections
on the
Lenten Journey
This set of reflections is offered as a way to keep yourself open to God during the season of Lent.
Choose a time and a place where you will be able to have 10-15 minutes uninterrupted.
You will need a Bible in order to look up the full gospel passage for each day, or you could use an online bible source like http://bible.oremus.org/
We also encourage you to “make a date” with one or two others, once a week, to reflect together on any particular insights, questions, thoughts, challenges or learnings that have been significant for you.
May your reflecting time be fruitful and blessed!
—-
Gospel reading for the day: Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21
17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
From the time of the early church, Lent had three focuses: (1) the final, intense preparation for those to be baptised at the Easter Vigil, (2) a period leading to restoration for those alienated from the church community, (3) a time of preparation for all the faithful leading up to the annual celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ. Lent “practices” what the whole year should be like. “Giving something up” or “taking something on” for Lent can help us be more focused for this period, helping us to do more perfectly what we hope to do habitually all the time. Abstinence, in the early church, is primarily abstinence from sin – to fast without fasting from sin is not really Christian fasting, and to “enjoy food while having no taste for sin is a far better kind of fasting” (John Chrysostom, Sermon 44:2)
What will your Lenten fast be?
Holy God, help us to keep Lent faithfully.
Give us grace to let go of those things
that we do not need,
that we may be free to receive
the treasures of Heaven.
In Christ we pray. Amen.
Daily Reflections on the Lenten Journey
February 24, 2009 | Comments Off
We are about to start publishing daily reflections on the Lenten Journey.
These will start tomorrow – on Ash Wednesday. If you wish to receive notification of these each day, then please subscribe to the RSS feed. Otherwise – check back here each day for each day’s reflections.
We will also publish a full list of reflections in the publications section of the website.
This set of reflections is offered as a way to keep yourself open to God during the season of Lent.
Choose a time and a place where you will be able to have 10-15 minutes uninterrupted.
You will need a Bible in order to look up the full gospel passage for each day, or you could use an online bible source like http://bible.oremus.org/
We also encourage you to “make a date” with one or two others, once a week, to reflect together on any particular insights, questions, thoughts, challenges or learnings that have been significant for you.
May your reflecting time be fruitful and blessed!
Ash Wednesday…. Lent Begins…
February 23, 2009 | Comments Off
On Wed 25 February there will be three opportunities to receive the Imposition of Ashes to begin the season of Lent. 8.30am and 12.15pm in the Chapel, then 7.30pm a combined service with SS Peter and Paul Parish, here at St James’.
The Thursday 10am service will also include Imposition of Ashes.
Annual Reports
February 23, 2009 | Comments Off
The Parish AGM is scheduled for 30 March, and reports for all groups need to be received in the Parish Office not later than 4 March.
Vestry Nominations
February 23, 2009 | Comments Off
It is time for us to think about electing a Vestry for 2009/10, as nominations for Vestry members must be in by Thursday 19 March.
We are seeking people for Vestry who are actively committed to Christ and to our parish, and who are willing to serve the parish with their time and talents. Vestry nomination forms, containing a list of the responsibilities and expectations of Vestry members, are available at the back of the church.
Please prayerfully consider whether you would like to nominate someone for Vestry, or would be happy for someone to nominate you
Shrove Tuesday
February 23, 2009 | Comments Off
THIS TUESDAY (24 February) IS SHROVE TUESDAY the last day before LENT begins.
Also known as Pancake Day, we party, and use up ingredients like eggs, milk, and sugar, before the 40 days of fasting begins.
So the Pancake Tuesday, picnic tea at 6 PM in the Hall, is the last chance to party for 6 weeks! Along with your picnic bring some of the foods you enjoy to share, and some delicious non-perishable food to give to the FOOD BANK.
If you can make a batch of pancakes, please speak to or phone Dulce on 569 1669
