Easter 2008

This year Easter is early and this means, in turn, that Lent starts in the first week of February. Although we will be through Lent before the hour changes and the days really start to feel longer, the word Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word 'lenten'; from which we derive 'length' or 'lengthen'. It is the reminder of Spring, since this is the time in the northern hemisphere when the days begin to grow longer again. Whether we are a regular churchgoer or not, this sense of anticipation is something that most of us can relate to and need. The desire to 'spring clean' was both a practical reaction to months of being indoors with smoky fires and shut tight windows, and a desire to see things renew and grow.

I trust that it will be, for all of us, a time of spiritual renewal and looking ahead. In the Christian tradition, Lent is a time for reflection and preparation; for taking stock in our spiritual lives and allowing God to change things in our lives. It is a time for prayer and re-affirming our Christian faith - for centuries, Lent was the time for new Christians to be nurtured in the faith, looking ahead to baptism and confirmation on Easter morning. Easter is the celebration of new life, new opportunities and new expectations of God working powerfully in the life of His church. May that be our prayer for the churches and communities here, as we work and worship together over the coming months and years.

Simon Weeden