Seasonal

 

Lent

The purpose of our existence is joy - God creates us to be happy with him eternally; and Lent is about joy and happiness:

 

- it is about meditating on a divine love so passionately committed to our happiness that in Jesus Christ it comes to share in our suffering and even our death.

- it is about reflecting on the ways we undermine our own joy and happiness (what the church calls 'sin') and doing something about it

- it is about pausing to reflect on life's meaning and whether we are working with it or against it

 

Lent is often thought of as a sad time, when there are no flowers in church, no 'alleluias' sung, no colour, no weddings or baptisms - a time of austerity. Yet this austerity is not done to make us miserable but is rather the removal of distraction to help us focus on what makes for our true happiness; not only that but in toning down the normal extravagant enjoyment that characterises the Church's worship and life, it helps us appreciate all the more the ecstatic joy and happiness of Easter. Lent is about increasing our desire and stretching our longing by removing some of its normal supports, so that when alcohol and meat, flowers and alleluias return on Easter Day we will appreciate them properly and know them to be what they are: gifts from our overwhelmingly generous God.

 

The way of the cross, therefore, is a way to joy.

 

 

Lent Speakers this year will talk about being Christians in the work-place and so we have a variety of people to speak, both ordained and lay, about working in various ‘secular’ settings- and so come and consider what it might mean for you to be a Christian in your everyday life.

 

Wednesday 20th Feb

Bishop James Jones

The Bishop of Liverpool

Sunday 26th Feb

The Rev’d Jean Flood

Co-ordinator of Mission in the Economy

Wednesday 29th Feb

Nurse Eimear Railton

HIV Nurse Specialist

Sunday 4th March

The Rev’d James Harding

Chaplain to students at Liverpool University and Liverpool John Moores University

Wednesday 7th March

Her Honour Elizabeth Steel DH

Retired barrister and judge

Sunday 11th March

The Rev’d Helen Blackburn

Hospice Chaplain in the St Helen’s Trust

Wednesday 14th March

Archbishop Patrick Kelly

Archbishop of Liverpool

Sunday 18th March

Mothering Sunday

Families and children especially welcome

Wednesday 21st March

Mrs Jane Griffiths

Head Teacher at Archbishop Blanch High School

Sunday 25th March

The Rev’d Steve Pierce

Director of Clergy Learning in Liverpool Diocese

Wednesday 28th March

Superintendent Rowley Moore

Community Liaison Officer for Merseyside Police