The Prayer of St Ephrem for Lent
O Lord, Master of my life, preserve me from the spirit of sloth and distraction and the spirit of envy and vain speaking.
Grant instead to me your servant the spirit of purity and humility
and the spirit of patience and love.
O Lord and King, give me grace to know my own sins and not to think evil of my brothers and sisters for you are blessed for ever and ever. Amen.
The Origins of Lent
Originally the period of fasting before the great Easter feast was reserved for those candidates for baptism – the final leg of their long preparation for Christian initiation at the Easter liturgy. Before long, though, it was deemed an appropriate discipline for all Christians to enter more deeply into the Lord’s suffering. The forty days mirrors those spent by Jesus in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. They have been variously calculated, but essentially they are from Ash Wednesday until Holy Saturday, excepting the Sundays (every Sunday is a memorial of the resurrection). The meaning of the word “lent” has associations with spring, so it is a time of growth, fresh birth and renewal.
Opportunities this Lent
Attend the devotion Stations of the Cross Wednesdays 7.30pm in March.
Attend a morning or evening prayer (Monday-Thursday 9.20am/5.20pm; Friday 8.30am/4.30pm, Saturday 9.20am).
Attend a midweek eucharist (Tuesdays 7pm, Wednesdays 10am).
Try out the Pilgrim Course – Contact Jo pilgrim@paghamchurch.org.
Join an ecumenical Lent group.
Read a spiritual book, such as The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book “In God‘s Hands” by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Make your confession or seek spiritual direction with one of the clergy.
Do the Christian Aid “Count Your Blessings” daily challenge.
Consider fasting for a day and giving money saved to a charity.
My Lent
I, …………………………………………………………
undertake these Lenten resolutions to grow in faith and devotion to our Lord:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…..……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Ash Wednesday – 18th February
10am Holy Communion with Imposition of Ashes
4pm The Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes
8pm Sung Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes
Other Dates this Lent
Friday 6th March 3pm – Women’s World Day of Prayer service at Bognor Methodist Church
Saturday 7th March 7pm – Chichester Voices’ performance of Bach’s B-Minor Mass
Sunday 8th March 5pm – Choral Evensong
Sunday 15th March 9.45am – Mothering Sunday Family Eucharist
Thursday 26th March 12-2pm – Christian Aid Super Soup Lunch at the Vicarage
Holy Week
Palm Sunday – 29th March
8am Holy Communion
9.45am Parish Eucharist with blessing of palms, procession & dramatic reading of the Passion
5pm Taizé
Monday
8.30pm Compline
Tuesday
10.30am Chrism Eucharist at the Cathedral
7pm Seder (Passover) meal concluding with The Eucharist
Wednesday
10am Holy Communion
7.30pm Stations of the Cross
Maundy Thursday
8pm The Eucharist with foot-washing, followed by the Watch of the Passion overnight
Good Friday
10.30am Ecumenical Walk of Witness
12pm Children’s Way of the Cross
2.30pm The Liturgy of Good Friday, including veneration of the cross & dramatic reading of the Passion
Easter Day – 5th April
5.30am Easter Vigil & Dawn Eucharist, followed by
champagne breakfast
8am Holy Communion
9.45am Family Eucharist
5pm Evening Prayer with hymns
Eastertide
Saturday 11th April
Day Pilgrimage to Winchester
Sundays 12th, 19th, 26th April
Time & Talents Appeal
Sunday 10th May
Rogation Sunday, followed by Beating the Bounds
Thursday 14th May
Ascension Day
Sunday 17th May
Youth Songs of Praise
Sunday 24th May
Pentecost