Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, which this year falls on the 14th February. Ash Wednesday 2024
Lent is a time which gives us space to reflect on our journey in God.
To remind ourselves of where are roots can be found and how God helps us.
Lent allows us a space to reflect and evaluate the patterns we have established,
and this year we will focus on exploring or reclaiming prayer practices to enhance our life!
There is an introduction to Lent and things you might like to do in Flyer for Lent 2024
A more detailed list of events during Holy Week can be viewed here – Holy Week and Easter Services 2024
You may like to join in some Lent Practices with others.
This year in our ‘Lent Group’ with others in the Diocese to explore prayer practices. You will need to form your own small group of 3-4 people, and then register to receive the resources for 4 sessions. See
https://www.london.anglican.org/our-2030-vision/confident-disciples/lent-listening-groups/
Remember, Lent is not a time to make yourself miserable. Often we can be encouraged to think that the season of Lent is all about people giving up their favourite treats with the thought that in doing so we will lose some weight and get a little healthier. For some of us it is also associated with often rather dreary Lent Groups and study, additional services and soul searching. Neither approach really does justice to the wonderful opportunity of the 40 days that run from Ash Wednesday to Easter Eve (Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, and ends on Easter Eve, the forty days comprising the intervening weekdays, as Sundays do not count!)
Personal Reflection—40 bags in 40 days
In 2024, after a break from this tradition for a few years, we are inviting one another, once again, to take part in 40 bags in 40 days . It is a process which allows us to reflect on what is necessary in our lives – where we focus on cleaning one area per day. In this one area you challenge yourself to declutter, simplify, decrapify, and get rid of things you don’t need. The goal is one bag a day but you can have more or less. It doesn’t need to just be material things, it could be emails or issues or even concerns. The idea is to remove in a small way each day during Lent those things which distract us from faith and living a whole life.
Start small—bag size may vary. Maybe choose one draw or activity you are going to clear, rather than a whole room. Allow what you choose to inform your prayer life—what does our clutter tell us about our relationship with God? How might God inform our living in the days ahead? 40 bags in 40 days
Charity
Charitable giving is also a common practice in Lent. If you do fast you might like to donate what you have saved on food to Charity. Alternatively, you may just want to focus on your giving in Lent. You may want to continue to give to charities you already support, like Laurence’s Larder or St Anne’s. Or you may want to focus on something different.
Above all we would like you to be joyful, to remember that as members of the Church God calls us into a relationship with our Creator which is fresh and full of life and hope. Wishing you a happy and holy Lent.