Lent Course

I am taking part in a Lent Course again this year. It is part of the excitement that I always feel at the start of Lent, something I cannot explain, but it just seems to re-envigorate me in so many ways.

The course is on discipleship, which is a theme throughout my diocese this year, and the resources provided are excellent, and well presented and used by the Vicar and Curate who are running the course.

I have already shared with and learned so much from the other participants, but considering we are a five parish benefice with over 360 on Registers, I am wondering why more are not taking part.

Reflecting on those I see and meet regularly while visiting the various churches in the benefice, I seem to be missing some, I anticipated would be there, but have been pleasantly surprised to meet others that I did not know, or had not met, who are here. Establishing relationships of friendship as people relaxed a little and let down their guards is a fulfilling experience, and somehow the new relationships being built by our shared experience just seem to be ones that I will come to value more and more in the future.

The eye opener always for me is when people share part of their journey, which are inspirational, particularly as they describe how they have come to where they are now. Reasons for attending varied, but a common theme seemed to be, that they felt pulled or called to attend. God working within them and through others to bring a disparate group together in friendship,community, worship, study and prayer. Now for me, that is what being a Christian is about.

I am looking forward to the next three weeks, and the build up towards Holy Week, this time I will for the first time be attending the Chrism Mass in Canterbury Cathedral - and I look forward to that enormously.

Another bonus of the Lent Course has meant that I am in Canterbury early enough to attend Evensong in the Cathedral - letting the words and song flow in and through me. Wonderful worship.