My dear Friends.

I write this letter on the 19th January and payday still seems a long way off! However, February will soon be here and on the 12th of that month we introduce the changes on a Sunday morning at St. Peter's. Instead of a 10.30 a.m. followed by the 11.15 a.m. it is going to be a 10.45.a.m. All-age Service with the opportunity to come and go at approx. 11.15 a.m. I gave a full explanation in the December magazine and invited comments and questions so by now I hope everyone is aware of what is going to happen. So if you count yourself a member of St. Peter's do come along and play your full part.

Moving on I came to Wednesday, 1st March, ASH WEDNESDAY, the beginning of Lent. We have Services in St. Andrew's at 10.00 a.m. and 8.00 p.m. and there is Morning Prayer at St. Peter's at 9.30 a.m.

Now for Christians down the centuries Lent has been a special time of preparation for Easter and I believe it is still important for us as a church and as individuals. In the popular mind Lent has been seen as a time to give up something we enjoy doing the rest of the year and it is good to use this part of the church's year as a chance to exercise some self-discipline. However, the season of Lent also offers an opportunity for positive action as well. It's a time when many Christians make a special effort to explore their faith in more depth through reading and study.

So once again we will be holding a Lent Course - more details nearer the time either by way of leaflets in church or by phoning me.

I'm also going to make available once again my collection of Grove Booklets. The booklets have always had the motto 'Not the last word...but often the first'! and within 28 pages they give a brief and helpful exploration of certain aspects of the Christian faith and issues which face us as Christians. Some of the new tides which have been published this past year include:

• 'Pints of View - Encounters down the Pub'
• 'A Gay-Straight Christian Dialogue'
• 'Responding to Challenging Behaviour'
• 'How to use Symbol and Action in Worship'
• 'Islamic Terrorism - Is there a Christian Response?'
• 'Engaging Emotions - The Need for Emotions in the Church'
• 'The Moral Vision of the Letter to the Hebrews'

As last year, these and many other past booklets will be available at the back of our two churches on a Sunday. Do borrow one or more and return at the end of Lent (or sooner if possible so that someone else can read it). All I ask is that you sign for each booklet so that if I should need to refer to it during Lent I know where to find it! So let's make Lent a special and significant time for us all this year.

Finally after Lent is over I hope to run a Confirmation Course - you may be too young (in my view) but you are never too old to be confirmed - so if you are interested do let me know. Many thanks.

God bless you
Yours sincerely

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