Dear Friends
At the moment, we are part way through our Monday evening Lent reflections. It is a series of thoughts based on an idea of Christian Aid, looking at what it means to be a neighbour. We have had a different theme each week, all based on the verses of “When I needed a neighbour, were you there?”
We’ve heard some interesting Bible readings (such as Job 24: 1-8 (week 2 “I was cold, I was naked…”) and a version of Mark 2: 1-12 by Hilary Faith Jones (week 4 “when I needed a healer”).
Christian Aid invite us to give..pray..act.. so at the end of each evening we are asked two questions to take away with us and that lead into our discussions; “How often do we ask, who is my neighbour? Can we do more to help….the homeless…others to have faith in Jesus the healer….people in need…?
Our Lent reflections lead straight into those planned for Holy Week 10-14 April (Mon-Thurs 7pm at Starbeck and 10am Good Friday at Park Grove). We bring ourselves “to a House of Prayer” and follow Christ’s way to the Cross and ultimately to His resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Alongside this is planned a “Starbeck Churches Easter Art Trail” with St Andrew’s Church, Life Destiny Church and Starbeck Methodist Church, also with Starbeck Community Primary and Nursery School and Starbeck Library.
We will be displaying “One Friday” posters that tell the story of Jesus’ final day; 14 posters telling of 14 events that happen over the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life, as told in the Gospels (see www.onefriday.info).
In May, Christian Aid continue their invitation to us to give..pray..act.. in its theme for Christian Aid Week 14-20 May. See their seven day devotional “I was a stranger”, focusing on refugees.
Over these next couple of months, let’s make time to reflect on John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life”.
Let’s give ourselves time and space to think about what this means to us, to our church, and to share God’s love with others around us.
Let’s pray for our neighbours, for ourselves, for our church – making everything we do underpinned by prayer.
Let’s act. Let’s make the Easter message real in how we respond to God in our lives:
“Lord, I know what you require of me. So please strengthen me today that I may act justly, love mercy and walk humbly before you, my God.”