From the Parish Priest

And that’s it — Christmas has passed for another year!

Amazingly Lent begins just seven weeks into 2007, with Ash Wednesday being February 21st. Traditionally Lent is a time for fasting, praying and studying. This year the clergy of the five Kairos Partnership Churches have worked together to write a study course for Lent. It’s called “Encountering God” and it invites us to examine different ways of experiencing God, whether it’s in the high points of our lives or in the low, depressing times. There are five sessions with each one lasting about 1½ hours. It’s hoped that the course will be followed by Church members in already established groups, but there will also be ten “open” groups around the Kairos parishes. These are designed for those who wish to study the course with members of other Churches, or who are unable to attend an established group in their own Church. The details of all the groups will be published and Church members encouraged to sign up and join a group.

“Encountering God” will be complemented by a series of Sunday evening services — one in each of the Kairos Churches, and each week the sermon will be preached by one of the Kairos clergy. Fr. Mike is preaching at the first Lent Evensong which will be at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Crookhorn. St. George’s Church is hosting the second week, when Fr. John Naude will preach.

Although it seems a bit early to write about Easter, group members will want to know that on Easter Day, April 8th, at 4.00pm, all those who have been following “Encountering God” are invited to the Church Garden at Denmead. The Archdeacon of Portsdown will lead a short act of worship, and this will be followed by refreshments and the cutting of the Kairos cake. Don’t miss it — write the date in your new diaries now!

Christmas itself has passed but at St. George’s we’re still in the Christmas season and our decorations are still up and lit. The season officially comes to a close at Candlemass, this year on February 4th.

Fr. Mike
Parish Priest