Planning for Lent 2007

Lent is a time of preparation and devotion that has diminished in the popular imagination in recent decades. Apart from the odd question along the lines of, "What have you given up this year?", we don't hear much about it outside church.

In my personal experience, Lent can be a time of real progress in our spiritual walk with God - a focussed period of growth and deepening of faith.

There are several ways you can make the most of this Lent.

• Joining an ecumenical Lent House Group with members of other churches in Oadby. This year the course is entitled, "Face to Face" and you can speak with John or Beryl Starie for more details
  
• The Bishop's Lent Addresses at the Cathedral on Thursday evenings.
• Read a Lent book. You'll find lots of suggestions by doing a web search on 'Lent Book' or by calling in at a local Christian Bookshop or online retailer.
• Keep a journal or diary of your thoughts, questions and prayer concerns.
• Give up something that's part of your usual comfort or security. Experience, in a small way, the loss of something familiar and deepen your reliance on God.
• Take on something new, like an act of service or a time of prayer. Attend a midweek service or go out of your way to be more helpful to others.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, which this year is on 21 February. There is a communion service at St Peter's, Oadby at 10.30am and an ecumenical service at the Roman Catholic Church on New Street, Oadby at 6.45pm.