Ministers Desk 12 February 2012

The season of Lent commences on Wednesday 22 February and continues until sundown on Easter Saturday 7 April.  Lent is a time of preparation for Easter and a deepening of discipleship to Jesus.  As we discipline ourselves during the season we enter more fully into Jesus’ sacrificial journey to the cross.  Essentially then Lent is about growing as disciples of Jesus.

Lent is a good time for us to address our difficulty in separating “wants” from “needs.”  We may think that we can live without certain things, or we may think that we can’t live without certain things.  Entering into the discipline of Lent causes us to focus on what is most fully important in our lives, our living relationship with Jesus.  Many Christians are suffering under a overabundance of stuff in their lives.  Participating in Lent shows how much simpler our lives can be.  In the remaining time leading up to 22 February, please prayerfully consider what you could give up for the period of Lent.  What you give up should be in the category of a “want” and should be something that for you would be a struggle to do, without the sustaining power of the Holy Spirit.  In other words, you can’t do it on your own.  You are then asked to take any money that you do not spend on this “want” and donate it to our Lent Appeal.  This year the money will support our Community Helping Hand ministry.

Alternatively, others may find that the discipline of Lent may be to address a blind spot in how they follow Jesus.  This may mean that they need to add on to their life and extra discipline.  This could be a discipline of daily prayer and bible reading.  It could be to find an avenue of service that responds to the call of Jesus.  During Lent information will be provided on how you may respond to Christ’s call to serve through Community Helping Hand.

Community Helping Hand has been identified as the project that will be supported this year.  Community Helping Hand serves the immediate needs of people in our local community by providing assistance with food.  It is also a point of referral to other service providers in our local area.  Throughout Lent we will provide further information about the work of CHH and how you can be involved.

Since Lent is a spiritual discipline, daily readings and a guide to prayer will be offered.  Please build into your schedule time to meet with God using this resource.  This may be in addition to your usual pattern of readings and prayer, or instead of it.  Reflecting on scripture and connecting with God in prayer reminds us that whatever we do that Lent is not a competition to see who can "give up" or "add on" the most.  It's a moment of honesty about the obstacles we could be placing in our path to follow Jesus.  Regardless of where we are at in our spiritual journey, Lent prepares us to be increasingly more honest and devoted followers of Jesus Christ.