Feb Blog: Lent ready
As we read this, we are already halfway through Lent, and half-term for our Schools is next week. Also, Lent begins. Do join us for our Ash Wednesday services at 9.15 at St Martin’s Church or Dobwalls at 7 pm. This lent we are going to encourage you to connect with either Lectio or the Church of England’s daily reflections. Both on their app or go to their websites.
This Lent, lead your church into the wilds of faith – Lectio 365
Draw Near: Life-giving habits for Lent | The Church of England
This is great to follow on from our Advent daily reflections. We were going to do the same for lent however, both these resources connect beautifully with our vision for 2026.
“Creating a culture and people of Prayer”
These reflections will invite us to go slowly in Lent. What does going slowly look like for you?
I want to invite us now, as we prepare for the start of lent to reflect on that word. One of my words for the new year was “Slow Down” for good accountability. This is not going well yet…. I am Full of hope for Lent. However, what I have enjoyed is connecting with Lectio 365 each morning as I make breakfast and try to wake everyone up. I have given myself some space to stop and listen as we start the new day.
If we really are to slow down, what comes first is we stop and listen, and as I have been thinking about that and how we action this, I was drawn to our verse that goes with our vision for this year from Colossians 4:2
“Devote yourself in prayer, be watchful and thankful to God”
Being watchful is what we do when we stop and listen. So, an invitation this Lent to find space to stop and listen. Maybe that means saying no to the social activity or no to that meeting or no to that Netflix show (Other streaming is available) and invite God into the silence and space and see what he might be saying. I pray that this Lent will be a season of being watchful and seeing what God is doing…..
God Bless
Rev Mark