“An invitation to a life of discipleship that’s profoundly attentive, generously forgiving,
and always drawn to service and joy”
(Stephen Cherry describing our Lent book by Rowan Williams, Being Disciples).
This year, on our St Mary’s pilgrim journey through Lent to Holy Week, the core book we’ll explore is the wonderful (short, small, good read!) Being Disciples: Essentials of the Christian Life by Rowan Williams.
Lent Small Groups on Zoom: All welcome to join a St Mary’s Lent Small Fellowship Group, where there will be a chance to gently reflect on the week’s chapter & questions, share more from Rowan’s meditations through this pandemic, and wonder together through a great work of art. No need to say or share anything of course if you don’t wish to. Very informal 1hr weekly zoom gatherings of up to 6 per small group. Over the 5 weeks beginning week of 22nd Feb, and ending the week before Holy Week when we’ll continue if all wish or join Holy Week alternatives. If you would like to join a Lent Small Group, please email Rev Sarah asap and mention whether you would prefer Monday evenings 6pm or 7.30pm or Tuesday afternoons 4pm.
St Mary’s Lent Booklet & Resources: Your Lent St Mary’s Spiritual Resources booklet will be delivered by Ash Wednesday to your door (or please request a copy), which will include extracts of the reflections, questions, scripture, prayers & images we’ll be exploring in our Lent groups. Also liturgies for St Mary’s Sunday worship through Lent, and prayer resources, and accompanying prayer breviary and tree cross. Also suggestions for further personal reading in the gifted time for rich spiritual searching that lent offers us, such as….
Lent Reading Suggestions:
Our Core lent book – Being Disciples – Rowan Williams (SPCK)
Supplemented by:
Candles in the Dark: Faith, hope and love in a time of pandemic – Rowan Williams (SPCK)
A Cross in the Heart of God – Samuel Wells (Canterbury Press). A brilliant read to dwell deeply through lent. Sam is a Shalford parishioner of course! Also the Vicar of St Martin in the Fields, and one of the leading Christian voices internationally today, and also married to Bishop Jo)
See I am doing a new thing – our Guildford Diocese Lent resources can be found on the website here. You can sign up to receive the weekly Lent resource too.
Thy Will be Done – Stephen Cherry (Bloomsbury)
God on Mute : Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer – Pete Greig. Another best-selling Christian writer, beginning with his 24-7 prayer movement book Red Moon Rising, and another local author! -Pete leads Emmaus Rd church along the road in Guildford Yvonne Arnaud,
Opening Our Lives: Devotional Readings for Lent – Trystan Owain Hughes (BRF publication), includes practical daily reflections
Living His Story: Revealing the extraordinary love of God in ordinary Ways – Hannah Steele. This is the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book. Church of England daily reflection resources accompany this (and standalone) – including daily reflections booklet ‘Live Lent: God’s Story Our Story’.
And you can sign up for C of E daily reflections here
and there are many more!………enjoy exploring, and finding time to read, pray and dwell with God deeply through Lent.
St Mary's Shalford 