March 1st – Ash Wednesday – the first day of Lent.

I am not by nature a gardener. I could tell that tale at length, but not today. I do however love roses, and have over the years learned to look after them, at least after a fashion. The secret is to prune back hard, I mean really hard and hope! This task should be done before Grandma’s birthday or for the rest of you St Patrick’s Day, 17th March. All my gardening wisdom, and the wonder whether or not it is a Lenten parable?

Over a very pleasant evening meal last week with a friend, we discussed the place of hospitality or just sharing food in various cultures. We came, as you do, in the week before Lent, to the place of fasting. Biblical thoughts on the subject are in Jesus encouraging us to do it, unseen, and not to make more of it than we should. We see in other faith communities that fasting plays a significant part in their spiritual journeying too. I have found it helpful to draw on the Jewish tradition of marking a day from sunset to sunset, and from our Muslim friends in making something special of the sharing of food at ‘the breaking of the fast’, which interestingly comes, for them, after sunset. I hear stories of groups of Christians getting together for prayer and breakfast – a fresh expression of church on these frosty mornings. But all of this is a matter of personal life-faith journey in which we should encourage one another, as we continue to discover what it means to be follower of Jesus in the world today.

I have not been overrun with solutions to Methodist changing light bulbs – the answer may still be in the hand of a committee or a ground-clearing project! I remind you that all are invited on Tuesday, 7th March between 10am and 3pm to an Open day at the District Manse, 36 Amesbury Road, Moseley in aid of Fair-Trade Fortnight. I am thinking of holding a quiet day later in the Summer so watch this space!

Remember that in the end, and the beginning this Lenten Journey is order that we might celebrate our Easter faith in all its fullness.

Yours in love,

Bill Anderson.