Dear Friends,
The season of Lent is almost upon us. Lent is a season I always approach with a mixture of joy and apprehension. It’s a huge privilege to journey through that season with the idea of journeying with Jesus towards the Cross. It’s a season for deepening our spiritual lives with a mixture of different approaches.
In St. Finnian’s we try to offer special services in the middle of the week as a focal point for the season as we explore those themes of repentance and self-denial and reorienting our lives with Jesus at the centre. We want His life to impact our lives and to allow our character to be shaped and moulded by His.
This year our theme is ‘discipleship’ or ‘following Jesus.’ Each Thursday night during Lent, beginning on 10th March at 7.30 pm, our curate Rev. Andy Hay, will be helping us to explore this in a reflective, thought-provoking and engaging way. These short 40 minute services will maybe help us to consider ways in which we might follow Jesus more closely in our daily lives.
On Ash Wednesday, 2nd March, we are hoping to recommence
our weekly Holy Communion Service with prayers for the sick at 10.30 am. Many people have missed the opportunity to gather weekly at the Lord’s Table and to pray by name for those on our hearts as we come to the service. We are cautiously optimistic that we can recommence this important service on Wednesday 2nd March.
Also during the season of Lent we will be partnering with our friends at The Larder Foodbank to gather in some tinned fruit and tinned vegetables. There is a powerful article from The Larder Foodbank on the parish website www.stfinnians.org. It speaks of how they are trying to meet the increasing needs in our community as the cost of living spirals. If you can help by bringing a tin or two after your weekly shop we would be very grateful.
We look forward on Thursday 3rd March to welcoming the Mothers’ Union for their enrolment service at 7.30 pm. Liz Walker is our new Branch Leader, Angela Harvey is our new Secretary and Julie Cunningham is our new Treasurer on the Committee.
The Mothers’ Union has kindly agreed to host a socially distanced lunch for the Bishop and some others on Friday 4th March as they complete the first leg of the Bishop’s Big Bike Ride around the parishes of Belfast in the Diocese of Down and Dromore in support of projects in Honduras and Jordan funded by the Bishop’s Appeal.
We are delighted to announce also this month our speaker for Holy Week in April. Dr. Stephen Rodgers is a GP and pastor in King’s Way Church in Dunmurry. He has a particular interest in supporting people’s mental health and will be exploring the theme of the healing power of the Cross from Monday to Thursday evening of Holy Week. Stephen is a very gifted and able communicator and we look forward to all he will be sharing with us.
Sometimes people are inclined to give up things for Lent. It might be sweets or chocolates, maybe bread or alcohol. This practice of giving up some of life’s little treats or luxuries is a way of denying ourselves and trying to connect into that practice or way of living. Jesus himself went through a season of 40 days when he fasted in the wilderness as a way of preparing for His public ministry.
May this season of Lent offer you meaningful opportunities to draw close to Him and we hope you will be able to join us for some of these special services and events.
With very best wishes.
Yours sincerely,
Jonathan Pierce (Rector)
Telephone 02890 793822