Dear Friends,

As we journey through the season of Lent, it’s often a season when we strip things back. We perhaps try to give up some treats or luxuries we normally enjoy. We perhaps try to immerse ourselves in some spiritual disciplines like Bible reading or prayer or to attend some special services during this season which might awaken us further to the presence of God in our lives.

Some people like to avail of the opportunity recently reopened to us of sharing Holy Communion weekly on Wednesday mornings and to pray for the sick. Some people always like to attend our Thursday night Lenten services at 7.30pm. These short services of 35-40 minutes will be on the topic of Discipleship and will have already begun by the time this magazine goes to print. Our speaker this year is our curate Reverend Andy Hay who did his final dissertation on the topic of Discipleship so I have no doubt he will have helpful insights to share with us. Hopefully they will both encourage and challenge us as we seek to follow Jesus in our daily lives.

During Holy week from 11th-15th April, we look forward to
welcoming Dr Stephen Rodgers as our speaker from Monday-Thursday. Stephen is a medical doctor serving in general practice and the Pastor of King’s Way Church in Dunmurry. He is going to speak on the topic of “The Healing Power of The Cross”. The series was designed as we emerge from the pandemic and consider how it affected our lives in so many ways over these past two years. We now also have the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine and there is a sense that our world is in need of God’s healing perhaps more than ever before.

The Lenten services and Holy Week services will all be live-streamed and we thank the technology team for all their work in making this opportunity available to those who cannot be with us for various reasons. We do want to encourage people to try to come to these services in person if you can as they are always a very special focus in our mission and ministry in this place.

We are hoping that it will be possible to leave the church open for private prayer on Good Friday from 7am until after our evening service and there will be some prompts for prayer in the church. It is always a special and sombre day and it will be good to have a stream of constant prayer for the world and our parish flowing throughout that day if you can come and take responsibility for praying for half an hour. Your prayers are greatly needed at this very worrying time for the world as we invite people to pray for peace and for all our world leaders and those who are in positions of influence.

The Easter General Vestry, the Annual Business Meeting of the church, will hopefully take place on Tuesday 5th April in the parish hall at 7.30pm. At this meeting we normally hear a report from the Rector, from the Honorary Treasurer and elect a new Select Vestry to serve for the incoming year. Those who are registered as Members are entitled to vote.

Over this season of Lent we often turn our thoughts to those going through times of difficulty. We have coordinated our parish response to the Ukraine Crisis through the Bishops’ Appeal. They are working in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and Christian Aid in working with partners on the
ground to offer help and support to refugees making their way across the Ukrainian borders to neighbouring countries. We have also been inviting those who can to bring tinned fruit or vegetables for The Larder Foodbank.
The impact of the war in Ukraine is being felt through rising fuel and gas bills and many people are finding it difficult to manage. If you find yourself in that position please get in touch with either the Curate or myself and we will do all in our power to offer some practical assistance in a small way. The church is a family and we need to work together and support one another in these very challenging times.

I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of our organisations and their leaders who have been endeavouring to get up and running in person again in recent months. It’s not easy as we try to follow the Guidance and enable everyone who comes, to feel both welcome and safe. I know those who participate in these activities have really valued the opportunity to meet again in person. We are likely to continue some activities online for a while still as sometimes they work better practically for people.

After Easter we, therefore, hope to be running a new Alpha course online and offering the opportunity to people who want to pray for the world and the parish to do so online on Thursday evenings.

As you slow down and pray and reflect during this Holy Season may you find the presence and peace of God in your life.

With very best wishes.

Yours sincerely,

Jonathan Pierce (Rector)

Telephone 02890 793822