Weekly letter from St Luke's - 24 February 2023

Dear Parish Friends

After Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday last week, we are now in the season of Lent. This lasts for 40 days until Easter Eve (Holy Saturday), as the Sundays in Lent are not included. Our gospel passage for this week from Matthew is the account of Jesus spending 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. Whilst we may picture the wilderness as a place of desolation and silence, as something to be got through, the image of wilderness in the bible is that of a place where God speaks. It was in the wilderness that the Israelites received the commandments, and in our passage today it was in the wilderness that Jesus confirms his charter for mission after his baptism. The Hebrew words for desert and speak are similar (only differing in vowels), so perhaps it is in the desert/wilderness times and places in our lives that God is speaking to us, if we would but listen.

This Sunday our services are as usual: APBA Holy Communion Order Two at 7am and then Family Service with communion and Children's Ministry at 9am (also streamed on Zoom). The week's notice paper and 9am service sheet are linked below.

As we are in the season on Lent, you are encouraged to arrive a little earlier for service. Five minutes before the advertised service time a bell will be rung and the sentence of the day said, and then you are invited to pray silently until the service starts on the hour.

Yours in Christ

Rev'd Timothy