Bolingbroke Deanery GG rraappeeVViinnee MARCH 2014 ISSUE 453 Our Resource is the Gospel, and our aim is simple; “To secure a growing, worshipping, celebrating, proclaiming and caring Christian presence in each community of our Deanery.” 50p 1 Bishop’s Letter Dear Friends, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, traditionally seen as a time for prayer and penance in the church; a time for drawing aside and reflecting on our Lord’s journey to the Cross and our own journey as Christian people. As we seek to move forward together as a faithful, confident and joyful diocese, Lent provides an ideal opportunity for us to clear away some of the clutter that can get in the way of that making those things a reality in our own lives. Lent gives us a structured framework in which to stop, to pray, and to reflect on the things that stand between us and God; between us and each other; between us and the best of who each of us is. That is not always an easy thing to do. It can take us to uncomfortable places as we uncover things about ourselves that we would rather remained hidden, or are reminded of the broken-ness and cruelty that mar God’s world. On Ash Wednesday many of our churches will hold services which include the imposition of ashes. If you have the opportunity to attend one of these services, I encourage you to do so. The ash is also a symbol of what is left when everything else has gone and things are laid bare. Their imposition on our foreheads is a powerful reminder of our own vulnerability and of the ways in which we fall short of all that God intends for us. But Ash Wednesday is only the beginning of the Lenten journey. Jesus’ journey to the Cross will be transformed into the Easter joy of the resurrection – a transformation which shows the world that God’s power is made perfect in weakness. That possibility of transformation is the basis of our hope as disciples of Christ. It is the light that shines even when all seems darkest in our own lives and in the life of the world. We need not fear: the God who endured the pain of death on the cross is the same God whose love and forgiveness are freely offered by God to each one of us. We are not alone; the light shines in the darkness. Bishop Christopher 2 Christ has penetrated into the depths of darkness, loneliness, rejection, agony and fear, in order to touch the depths of darkness in each one of us and to call us to belief, to call us to walk in this world of darkness, loneliness, rejection, agony and fear - hoping, trusting in the resurrection . So do not turn aside from your own pain, your anguish and brokenness, your loneliness and emptiness, by pretending you are strong. Go within yourself. Go down the ladder of your own being until you discover - like a seed buried in the broken, ploughed earth of your own vulnerability - the presence of Jesus, the light shining in the darkness. And there, offer yourself with Jesus to the Father for the life of the world. Jean Vanier G O O D N E W S ! th Sunday 30 March, 4.00pm Celebration of the completion of the re-ordering project at St James’ Spilsby We will be holding a short service at 4pm followed by light refreshments afterwards . All are welcome to join us in the opening of the new kitchen and toilets. Contributions of food will be gratefully received. For catering purposes, please contact the Deanery Office before 21st March to give us an idea of what you will be bringing. Tel: 01790 752526 email: peter.coates50@yahoo .com 3 READINGS AT THE EUCHARIST Principal Service Sunday 2nd March Sunday next before Lent (Green) First Reading Exodus 24.12-end Psalm/Canticle Psalm 2 [or Psalm 99] Second Reading 2 Peter 1.16-end Gospel Matthew 17.1-9 Sunday 9th March 1st Sunday of Lent (Purple or Lent array) First Reading Genesis 2.15-17;3.1-7 Psalm/Canticle Psalm 32 Second Reading Romans 5.12-19 Gospel Matthew 4.1-11 Sunday 16th March 2nd Sunday of Lent (Purple or Lent array) First Reading Genesis 12.1-4a Psalm/Canticle Psalm 95 Second Reading Romans 4.1-5, 13-17 Gospel John 3.1-17 Sunday 23rd March 3rd Sunday of Lent (Purple or Lent array) First Reading Exodus 17.1-7 Psalm/Canticle Psalm 95 Second Reading Romans 5.1-11 Gospel John 4.5-42 Sunday 30th March 4th Sunday of Lent (Purple or Lent array) First Reading 1 Samuel 16.1-13 Psalm/Canticle Psalm 23 Second Reading Ephesians 5.8-14 Gospel John 9.1-end BOLINGBROKE DEANERY CONFIRMATION SERVICE Pentecost Sunday 8th June 2014 St Andrew’s Church, Sausthorpe If anyone is interested to know more about the Faith or to have a refreshment session please contact one of the clergy. 4 Churches Together in Spilsby & District At our meeting on 19th February we have made decisions on several of the ways we work together. In Lent we are to do “Faith at Work” course together, starting the course with three sessions in Lent (see separate details) on Saturday afternoons at the “Meeting Point” in Spilsby Methodist Church 4pm to 5.30pm. 15th March, 22nd March and 29th March. Each of the sessions will be led by each church in turn as well as providing tea and biscuits. We will then hold the last 3 sessions in Advent starting on 29th November. Stations of the Cross: Fridays at 6pm starting at OLEM RC Church 7th March and then alternating with St James through lent. Good Friday Walk of Witness: 18th April starts at the Franklin Statue at 11.45am and will conclude with a service in St James’. 12 Hour Prayer Vigil for Syria is to be held on 3rd May 6am to 6pm in each of the Churches in Spilsby starting with OLEM RC Church, more details to follow. Christian Aid Week 11th to 17th May 2014 David Smith has now stepped down from organising Spilsby’s collection and a real sense of thanksgiving for the amazing ministry he has created. He enabled the amount collected to rise from £154 to £1428. Not only has he done an excellent job in motivating others, he has done so much of the door to door collecting himself. Many thanks go to David. We decided to change the way we collect during the week. Envelopes are to be delivered to every house - if possible - but not collected. People are to be invited to return them to designated points or to Christian Aid Coffee Mornings at the places advertised. Each Church is to be encouraged to hold one on the Saturday Morning from 10am to1pm on 17th May. Pentecost Sunday: 8th June, 3pm, Church’s Birthday Celebration at New Life Christian Centre. Faith at Work Spirituality & discipleship for today’s world Faith at Work is a brand new 6 week study course. Launched in February 2014, it has already been adopted as the 2014 Lincoln Diocesan Lent Course as well as the Lent Course commended by the churches who’re members of Churches Together in All Lincolnshire. It is, though, suitable for use at any time of the year, by any kind of church, and possibly other faith groups too. Faith at Work is also suitable for groups such as Workplace Christian Unions, as well as other groups with an interest in an active spirituality. With slight adaptation, it can also be used by business and professional groups 5 who wish to explore issues such as related to ethics in business, achieving an appropriate work-life balance, Faith at Work aims to enable participants to relate their faith to what they do/are in working lives – not forgetting those not ‘traditionally employed’ such as home carers, students, unemployed, retirees. Faith at Work came from a desire to overcome the experience expressed in the 1990 Faith in the Countryside report “Spirituality in the countryside [workplace] is one of the hardest things”. The 6 sessions in the Faith at Work course are The Callling The Challenge The Clock The moral Compass Showing Compassion Making Connections What others have said about the course…… The Rt Revd Christopher Lowson, Bishop of Lincoln “I’m really grateful to Lincolnshire Chaplaincy Services for taking the responsibility on for us of producing our Diocesan Lent Course for 2014. Lent is a special time of year when we invite people to focus thoughtfully on their spiritual lives and the material that Lincolnshire Chaplaincy Services have produced will really provide some thoughtful and engaging ways for all of us to reflect on our spiritual lives in the context of life in Lincolnshire. ‘Faith at work’ is a clever title because it actually works at two levels. It works at expressing our Christian faith in work context, but actually also more subtly, and this applies to all of us whether we are at work, or when we’re at leisure, or whatever, the implications for working out our faith in our context, be it family, community, whatever.” Rev Bruce Thompson, Chair of Lincolnshire Methodist District “I’m really excited by the ‘Faith at Work’ Lent Course that is being organised by Lincolnshire Chaplaincy Services. Excited because everybody right across Lincolnshire who is involved in the church and in the life of the church communities will have an opportunity to consider what it is that they’re doing as disciples in their particular area.