“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

Lent & Easter 2011

The Message paraphrase of that verse: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” Many of us do feel worn out, if not burned out. In making the following proposals for the season of Lent – the six weeks that lead up to Easter – the last thing we want to do is add to people’s burdens. Together, we want to learn more about those unforced rhythms of grace. We want to slow down, prune the diary and take time to get away with Jesus. To learn and experience the unforced rhythms of grace it is essential that we do all we can to clear our diaries and probably to introduce a new level of discipline to our lives by fasting from certain things that normally distract us e.g. TV, computer! A resource paper of the subject of fasting is available.

Benefit – not burden We want the following ideas to be a benefit to us individually and as a church, and not a burden. We are going to clear the diary of as many meetings as possible.

“I'm caught in the rhythms of grace

They overcome all of my ways

Realigning each step everyday

To live for Your glory”

Rhythm of Prayer We want to encourage as many as possible to pray three times a day wherever you are. We will provide simple resources to help us pray briefly in the morning, at lunchtime and in the late afternoon or evening. Families may use these resources at tea-time or bed-time. For those able to gather at the following times there will be a prayer room set aside in the LIFECENTRE where someone will lead a simple daily office (12-15 minutes). Starting on Ash Wednesday 9th March Monday – Friday until 15th April

• 7.00 am Commuter prayers • 12 noon Midday prayers • 4.15 pm Evening prayers

Rhythm of Listening to the Word Amazing things happen when you spend 40 days listening to the Bible. Just 28 minutes a day could change your life. With ‘You’ve Got the Time’ – a new free resource from the Bible Society, you can listen to the Bible wherever you go – at the gym, walking the dog or doing the housework. The Christian theatre company Riding Lights have produced a stunning recording of the whole of the New Testament in the Contemporary English Version. To download the recording visit www.biblesociety.org.uk/ygtt You can order your copy of the CEV Bible through Lifebooks. After each prayer time in the Lifecentre we will play that day’s reading. We trust the whole church will share in this experience.

Rhythm of Worship At our Sunday services – 9.15 Parish Communion & 10.45 Morning Praise (HC every other week) – we want to encourage that sense of slowing down and practicing the unforced rhythms of grace. We will try to provide space for Scripture, meditation, silence, exercising gifts of the Holy Spirit and resting in God’s presence. We hope to have the church arranged more ‘in the round’ and to include some different styles of music.

From Rhythms of Grace BY HILLSONG UNITED

Essential 100 is a beautiful book, ideal for beginners in Bible reading as well as the more experienced. It provides a comprehensive overview of the Bible including introductions for different sections, 100 readings with notes, and opportunities to pray and respond. It encourages a holistic head and heart engagement with the Bible alongside intimacy with God. Anyone wanting to discover the 'big picture' of the Bible, its relevance to daily life, and a relationship with God will find this book invaluable.

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Rhythm of Refreshment

During Lent there will be the opportunity to engage with God’s Word in our different kinds of small groups. The meditation/reflections on Sunday will lead into group work during the week and will follow this series:  

“If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

FAITH IN THE WILDERNESS A biblical journey for LENT Ash Wednesday 9th March | Holy Communion 11am & 7.30pm Sunday 13 March | The wilderness of FAITH | Abraham Hebrews 11:1-2, Genesis 12:1-10, 13:1-18, 22:1-14, Groups – Hebrews 11:8-19 Sunday 20 March | Family communion 9.15 | APCM 10.45 | Church Family Lunch Groups – have a party! Sunday 27 March | The wilderness of TRAINING | Moses Exodus 3:1-15, Deuteronomy 32:1-47, Groups – 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:13 Sunday 3 April | The wilderness of CONFLICT | Elijah 1 Kings 17:1-24, 1 Kings 18:15-4, 1 Kings 19:1-18, Groups - Luke 9:28-36 Sunday 10 April | The wilderness of TEMPTATION | Jesus Matthew 4:1-17, Hebrews 4:14-5:10, Groups – Ephesians 6:10-20 Sunday 17 | Palm Sunday | The wilderness of SUFFERING | Golgotha John 18:1-11, John 18:12-27, John 19:16-30, Maundy Thursday Passover Easter Vigil – from 7.30 Maundy Thursday Passover meal through… Good Friday | All-age 10.30 & Meditation 2.00 to… Easter Sunday | Easter Communion 9.15 | All-age celebration of the Resurrection with adult baptisms 10.45 Sunday 1 May | The wilderness of WITNESS | Church Acts 7:44-60, Acts 16:1-15, Revelation 12:1-14, Groups – Romans 12:1-21

 

LENT – what is it all about?

The season of Lent originates in the rigorous preparation of Christians for the celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ at Easter. In particular, it was the season when baptismal candidates made their final preparations for their initiation into the church in the Easter liturgy. The church soon realized the benefit to all Christians of a time of preparation marked by penitence expressed in prayer and fasting. This season should, therefore, be characterized by this sense of preparation and eager expectation.

To express the spirit of penitence and to provide a striking contrast with the joyful celebration of Easter there has developed the idea of ‘giving things up’. A whole raft of traditions has grown up around this idea: the omission of the Gloria and the use of ‘Alleluia’ from the liturgy, the absence of flowers, the veiling of crosses (because they were often very ornate). The season is characterized by restraint and an austerity which should not become dreariness. From Ash Wednesday we embark on a spiritual journey marked by silence, reflection and penitence which prepares us afresh to engage with and experience the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Strengthening Walls in Romiley We have witnessed a significant investment in the rebuilding of stone retaining walls in Romiley in recent months. We sense that there is a challenge here to the church to invest in rebuilding spiritual walls through prayer. The following are suggestions of how we might start this in Holy Week: Palm Sunday Church Family Prayer Walk ‘Beating the Bounds of the Parish’ Monday – Wednesday Adopt a road for prayer-walking plus opportunities for confession. Maundy Thursday – Passover Meal leading into an Easter Vigil in church to include services on Good Friday and climaxing with a celebration of the resurrection with adult baptisms on Easter Day.

“I have loved you, my people, with

an everlasting love. With

unfailing love I have drawn you to

myself. I will rebuild you, my

virgin Israel.”

Jeremiah 31.3-4