Running from Ash Wednesday to the Easter Vigil (See the church calendar) and typically characterised by the use of Purple fabrics, no flowers, bare wood, and a focus on preparation & pushing deeper into our understanding of God in the harder times, the Lenten period (including Holy Week) is a time of reflection. Often individuals will fast, give up treats, and put more focus into their focus on God to follow the example of Jesus who fasted in the wilderness for forty days.
Lent is an opportunity to put more time aside for prayer, service, reflection, and supporting one another. We also use this time to meet up with people from other local churches on a Saturday for a shared lunch, with the opportunity to donate the money you would usually spend on that meal to Christian Aid.
During the services of Lent we will not sing the Gloria during the service, and an act of penetence including sprinkled of holy water (Know as Asperges) may take place to remind us that we are all, through baptism, included in the saving work of the cross. Often the words of the Lent Prose are used as a focus point during the service.
Services
Lent
- Ash Wednesday: This midweek service starts at 8pm, and includes the opportunity to take part in the 'ashing' where the Vicar will use ashes to mark the forehead. This ancient rite reminds us that we are dust, and eventually we will return to the dust. The cross marked on the forehead reminds us also that Christ has marked us as part of his family.
- Lent 1
- Lent 2
- Lent 3
- Lent 4 - Mothering Sunday: this service includes the blessing of flowers - given out to all mothers and mothering figures in the church. The vicar will likely wear Rose vestments, and the service may be a little longer.
- Lent 5 - Passion Sunday
- Palm Sunday: the service includes the blessing of the Palm Crosses for the year. All are welcome to take a cross during the service, to use as you would like throughout the year.
Holy Week
- Maundy Thursday: we celebrate the Eucharist of Maundy Thursday at 8pm. The service includes the commemerative washing of the feet, and at the end of the service we process to the Lady Chapel for "The Watch" where some of our congregation will stay to watch and pray in silence until 11pm in the Lady Chapel which is set up as the Garden of Repose. You are welcome to join us for the Eucharist only or to stay for the watch - as you need.
- Good Friday: the Good Friday Eucharist takes place at 2pm, and is a bare service. Characterised as 'rough and ready' the service contains no service music, the communion is taken in one kind (Wafer only - consecrated during the Eucharist the night before on Maundy Thursday) and all leave in silence at the end. The service also offers the opportunity for the 'veneration of the cross' where the crucifix is brought down to the nave and each person can take a few seconds at the foot of the cross (Often accompanied by a reverence of the cross - as they feel most comfortable) as part of this. This service reminds us of the disciples living through the death of Jesus, before they had the comfort of the resurrection.
- The Easter Vigil: our Easter Vigil will take place on Saturday at 8pm in the church. The service starts in darkness with readings and prayers focussed on God's acts of creation and prophesy before we move to the baptistry to light our Paschal candle for the year. This new light is then processed through the church, the Exultet is sung. Then we turn on the lights around the church to symbolise the new light of Christ in the world, and sing the Gloria (accompanied by bells) for the first time since Ash Wednesday. We gather at the Font for the renewal of our baptismal vows, before continuing the Eucharist as usual.