Notices and Events

Food for the Journey – in Lent: I’m not a fan of Lent.

For most of my adult life, I have simply ignored it. It wasn’t helped by the fact that the churches I attended mostly ignored it too.

At theological college, Lent was when we had to use the dreaded Book of Common Prayer for morning prayer each day. I always felt it was used as a kind of stick to beat us up, under the dubious guise of ‘formation’! It contained much telling ourselves what miserable offenders we were, and it wasn’t great for my already rocky self-esteem!

When I did finally get ordained, I thought ok, I really should take Lent seriously now. But I had no idea how. I tried Lent books, online meditations, the Church of England resources; but whatever I did came unstuck after a couple of days. I tried very hard to pray more, and be nicer, and eat less chocolate, but at the same time I wondered exactly what it was God had against chocolate anyway!

The one thing that has helped me think about Lent in any coherent way was when I eventually realised that what we do in our worship at St John’s is inhabit stories. We act them out. Year in, year out, they become part of us. At Easter especially, walking with Jesus through the last days of his life was, for me, unexpectedly moving.

We walk with Jesus through those days. And at Lent, we spend time in the wilderness with Jesus. It’s a place where Jesus found a deeper connection with the Father. And a place of preparation for ministry.

So how, I asked myself, could I spend time in my own life growing a deeper connection with God, given that trying to pray more and generally be more holy really wasn’t working for me.

And then, some words of Jesus came into my mind: I have come to bring life; life in all its fulness.

I have a tendency to hide a bit from life. The world is a scary place right now. But I think, this year, for me at least, engaging more fully with life, with other people, deliberately being more conscious of the goodness of God in our world; that might be the challenge of Lent for me. Because, as Sister Catherine says in Call the Midwife: “Life means so much more than breath and a heartbeat”. Jesus didn’t come to oppress us, he came to lead us into overflowing life. So, I think, maybe, I’ll try following. Sounds vaguely like a plan to me!

Mother Kirstine

Walking with the Word: The Bible study sessions have been rearranged for 7th, 14th and 21st March, 10am to 11:30am in church. It’s an opportunity to study the Bible together with no previous experience required! If you are interested, please sign up on the sheet at the back of church.

Nottingham Hospitals Choir present a concert featuring music from the two great Elizabethan Eras. Tudor music from; Byrd, Tallis, Morley and contemporaries heavily feature, alongside more modern composers: Vaughan Williams, Rutter, Chilcott and MacMillan. Titles like Ave Verum (Byrd), If ye love me (Tallis), The Old Hundredth (RVW), All things bright and beautiful (Rutter), and Vicar of Dibley (Goodall) fall in with less well known choral greats Drop slow tears (Gibbons), Past time with good company (Henry VIII), Thou Knowest Lord (Morley), Who is Sylvia (Shearing) and Ave Virgo Sanctissima (Summers).
Join us for a choral treat at St John’s on Saturday 21st March – tickets on the door (£10) and celebrate the music of two of England’s greatest Queens. (See poster below)

The next Julian meeting will be on Thursday 19th March at 4.30pm. This meeting is a monthly opportunity to sit in silent prayer in church for thirty minutes. 

Messy Church: our next Messy Church session is on Saturday 28th March. 3-5pm, when we’ll be meeting to think about the story of Holy Week and Easter. All families with children are welcome to join us for activities, craft and food.

Eco Corner: As we are starting to get some Spring weather why not make sometime to spend in nature. A day in the countryside, a local green space or your own garden. See what wildlife you can spot on your doorstep. The snowdrops, budding trees and tweeting birds, some starting to build nests. Also Otters have been spotted at Attenborough nature reserve, though not easy to see! 

Sounds of Spring concert performed by Blackwood Clarinets: You are welcome to attend Blackwood Clarinet’s concert in Church on Sunday 22nd March at 3pm. Tickets £10. Interval drinks will be available for a donation. All proceeds going to Cancer Research UK. More information available here