We are looking forward to starting Lent tomorrow with our Ash Wednesday Service online via Zoom from St Helen’s Church. You can still collect a packet of ash from church, use some ash from something you’ve burnt at home, or be creative and perhaps use some mud or dirt from the garden.
Our service starts at 7pm, but we will be online a little beforehand. (See below for the Zoom code.)
Helping you to Pray – especially during Lent
When was the last time, (if ever) that you went to a prayer meeting? Most of us are intimidated by the very idea! Why is that? Well probably because we imagine it will be very serious and pious, or rather long and dull! Or maybe you mistakenly think you will have to pray out loud, or you will be judged by others for the quality of your prayers. Or perhaps the biggest mistake of all, that prayer is an optional extra for ‘really keen Christians’! Prayer is an essential part of the Christian life – but it’s not easy. So, over the next six weeks, we are providing lots of opportunities to support your prayer life…
See below for the chance to join Morning Prayer, or the new SayOne4Me
There are prayer calendars and prayer leaflets to download
Lastly, you can email a prayer request for yourself or someone else to prayer@sth-stp.org
God bless you – Richard
P.S. If you join us online, you can see what our prayer meetings are like and leave at the click of a mouse if it’s anywhere near as bad as you fear!
If you’ve ever wondered where the ash for Ash Wednesday comes from, watch this 90 second video. It also explains what to do with the packet of ash you collected from St Helen’s Church.
An Invitation into the season of Lent
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day season marked by repentance, reflection, and ultimately celebration. This year, we meet on Zoom at 7:00pm for a service of prayer and music to mark Ash Wednesday on 17th February.
Join us via this link. (Meeting ID: 865 6612 8176; Passcode: 440783).
During Lent we are offering a shorter, even more relaxed and informal opportunity to gather for prayer on Thursday at midday for just 15 minutes. There will be a chance to chat and catch up afterwards.
We will be using the Pray for the Nation leaflet and themes from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and our own Prayer Calendar. Most of you will have received a copy of these with our latest Newsletter. Or you can download copies to print at home… Prayer for the Nation leaflet.St Helen’s Prayer Calendar (to print them double sided – flip on the short edge)
It’s like a shortened Sunday service but without the music and much, much less formal. It includes responses, bible readings, a chance to chat and reflect on the bible readings and some prayers.
Help is at hand! We have set up teams offering both pastoral and practical support, so please let others support you – they are keen to do so! Hilary Hollick is helping organise this – so do contact her by email here, or on 01582 832567. Alternatively call the village wide helpline “Support for All” on 01582 380910.
