Ash Wednesday, Lent And The Long Walk To Easter

Today is Ash Wednesday, and it marks the beginning of the 46 day journey to Easter. The season of Lent helps us remember the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness, being tempted by the enemy, yet persevering in trust and obedience to God his Father.Lent for us is a season of preparation for the great feast of Easter. It's a time to reflect on our walk with God - are we walking in trust and obedience? Are there parts of our lives that are in need of his healing and transforming lover and power? It's a season of repentance - re-orientation - in which we turn our lives to focus less on ourselves, and more on the fullness of life that we find in Christ.We will mark the beginning of this season of penitence with a traditional Ash Wednesday service tonight - in which ashes are used to make the sign of the cross on our foreheads - to remind us of our mortality and our dependence on God for our very lives.We are encouraging every member of St John's to make an intentional effort to join a Lent group - as the time for bible reading, discussion, reflection and prayer with others in a small group invariably leads to our growth in faith. Do sign up for a Lent group by visiting www.stjohnshoxton.org.uk/lentgroups