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Lent, Lament and Lockdown

Lent is a time of self denial and of giving things up, and also a period of lament in the lead up to Easter where we remember the Passion and death of Christ before we celebrated the glorious resurrection.  Often this is a personal affair on the discipline side of things, even if it's a practice shared within your church community, but this year has been so very different. With the outbreak of the coronavirus, or COVID-19, the whole world has slowly gone into lockdown country by country, creating a strange sort of global “Lent” where everyone is having to practice self control and self denial. This has been underpinned with a sense of lament at the way thi...

A Historic Easter Change Is Coming — But Will Protestants Get On Board?

...e Week of Prayer for Christian Unity recently, Pope Francis noted that this year the Easter date coincides with the West’s Gregorian calendar and the East’s Julian calendar. The Pope said, “I renew my appeal that this coincidence may serve as an appeal to all Christians to take a decisive step forward toward unity around a common date for Easter.” “The Catholic Church is open to accepting the date that everyone wants: a date of unity” — Pope Francis The recent discussions between the Catholic and Orthodox churches regarding the unification of the Easter celebration date have some significant implications for Protestant denominations and as a...

From Dust to Redemption: The Meaning of Ash Wednesday

...of Common Prayer (1662) includes a special Commination Service, calling the faithful to repentance. While this service is less commonly used today, Ash Wednesday services in Anglican churches typically follow a solemn and reflective tone, with readings, Prayers, and the imposition of ashes. The Anglican tradition emphasises that Lent is not merely about external observances but about an inward transformation. The ashes are not a mark of self-righteousness but a sign of humility before God. The service calls worshippers to examine their lives, confess their sins, and seek renewal through Christ. Does Ash Wednesday Contradict Jesus’ Teaching on Fasting? Some...

?️ How Do I Become a Christian? A message for Muslims seeking to understand the way of Christ

...A Simple Prayer to Begin You don’t need fancy words. You can speak to God from your heart. Here’s a simple example: “God, I believe You are the one true God. I believe that Jesus is Your Son, that He died for my sins and rose again. Please forgive me. I turn away from my old life and ask You to make me new. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me to follow You every day. Thank You for loving me and saving me. Amen.” You Are Loved Jesus says: “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” (John 6:37) No matter your past, background, or fears — you are welcome. Jesus is calling you. Will you come? Would You Like to Talk to a...

Before The Pumpkins: Faith In The Flames

...Picture the scene: the year is somewhere around 155–160, Polycarp has just been arrested and brought to the city. The crowd roared in the stadium. The smell of sweat and fear mingled with the dust of Smyrna’s arena. And in the centre of it all stood an old man — calm, unflinching, his face marked with years of faith. The Roman proconsul urged him again: “Swear by the fortune of Caesar. Curse Christ, and I will release you.” Polycarp looked him in the eye and replied with a defiant response that has echoed down the ages, Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me? Those words hav...

Before the Pumpkins: The Barbecued Deacon

...In our last post, we walked with Perpetua and Felicity through the sands of the amphitheatre, their faith outshining Rome’s cruelty. Now for the final part in this series, we turn to another of the Church’s earliest heroes — one whose courage was matched by an unexpected wit. His name was Lawrence, a deacon of Rome, remembered across centuries as the man who kept his humour even while lying on the griddle. The Setting: Rome, AD 258 Under Emperor Valerian, a fresh persecution of Christians swept through the Empire. Bishops, priests, and deacons were hunted down, their property seized, and their churches closed. The bishop of Rome at that time was Six...