Filey Parish People blog in Lent:Day 29 Ben Jenkinson

Lent

We traditionally think of Shrove Tuesday (this year 21st February) as a day for 'using up' ingredients in the house to remember how Christians may choose to abstain from various types of food during Lent - but there is a lot more to Lent than making pancakes.

• Lent in 2012 starts on Ash Wednesday (22nd February) and ends on Easter Eve (7th April) in the Western Churches.
• Many Christians focus with a fast on Ash Wednesday and again on Good Friday (6th April).
• Some will fast for the time between Ash Wednesday and up to Easter, others don't fast on Sundays as Sunday can be considered to be a feast day.
• There are various ways of fasting, some people will choose to give up bad habits or certain foods and drinks or meals, where as others prefer to see Lent as a way to help others, pray for others, focus on praying for others or take up something new. There are many Christians who attempt to do both.
• The concept of fasting for 40 days is to reflect the 40 days Jesus' fasted in the desert. Christians treat this time as a way of preparation to Easter and fasting is a recognised way of helping people to focus on their spiritual life and prayer.
• There are other Biblical references to the importance of the number 40. The flood in the book of Genesis was 40 days.
•  The Hebrews were in the wilderness for 40 years before reaching the promised land. Moses fasted for 40 days prior to receiving the 10 Commandments.

Found by Ben on the  the Church of England Website


A month in -How are you all doing?

Filey Parish People blog in Lent:Day 28 Sue Leedham

:Lent means for me the coming of Spring -the season of colours returning to our lives. Snowdrops and daffodils, but a reminder of silent places where life has to struggle in the in between stages, life v death , to gain its 'Spring' its Rising to Flourish.  I no longer 'do' traditional lent.  Life has its daily sacrifices 'every day'.

Olympic Torch route through Filey 18th June 2012

Filey Parish People blog in Lent : Day27 Pat

Thanks Pat for sending us this poem. Filey is certainly coming into bloom

Flowers buried beneath the snow,

Awakening again to live and grow-

Leaves that fell to the earth to die

Enriching the soil in which they lie-

Lifeless looking, stark, stripped trees

Bursting with buds in the springtime breeze

Are just a few examples of

The greatness of God's power and love,

And in the blaze of springtime glory

Just who could doubt the Easter story?



H.S. Rice

Filey Parish People blog in Lent: Day26 Sue Bruce

Drop thy still dews of quietness , til all our strivings cease ………………………


Have you got a good friend who may quietly rebuke you or quietly encourage you ?
I have a friend Josie , who has done both of these. I have been getting in a fret with things going round and round my head before I went to help my daughter move house ! I was planning scenarios and looking for problems before they even happened ! Its all done now and was worth the very hard work !

 Then Josie sent me this text :

Here is a prayer for you :

Calm me Lord as you calmed the storm,
Still me ,Lord, Keep me from harm .
Let all the tumult within me cease ,
Enfold me ,Lord ,in your peace .

You can use this for praying for others too ,by substituting their name in place of 'me'

So thank you , friend ! I hope that you too can have friends who bring a word just when you need it .

Bless our Mothers Today ( Sue is second from left)

Filey Parish people blog in Lent: day 25 Margaret Rowling

I have been humbled by the Filey Parish people who have blogged so far. They have  been those with the busiest of lives, full time carers, working mothers, volunteers , people who I know go from meeting to meeting to help to keep the Parish afloat, people who are caring for the sick or  their elderly family members or work away and spend their lives travelling the world. 

AND yet like Jesus they are about their Fathers business too.

aka Margaretkiaora

Every post will have something to say to somebody. That is the joy of the internet. It matters not if readers are in Indiana or India, Huddersfield or Hunmanby. The Gospel is for everyone , looking at a VDU at home , or an ipad on the train, or an Android in a cafe ,laptop  in  cybercafe in Murray Street or PC in Filey Library. Many  of our 337 followers on Twitter may respond to the daily reminder to view the blog, and on and on as it is retweeted by others across the world. I know all this ,I look at the Stats.

So if you are reading this Site  for the first time this Lent, if you have accidentally stumbled upon us, remember that you are special , chosen and loved. We have prayed that people will be led to deepen their faith through this site. We have prayed that some of you will turn to Christ for the first time in your life . We have prayed that you will realise that Lent is not only a time for giving something up maybe , but a time to take stock , put things right and then move on. No one should ever  promise that life for a Christian is easy.  People may struggle to make sense of Faith, even though we have freedom of worship, available Bibles  and the opportunity to get together with others, and ask questions.
 Hope always, Alone Never.......

Want to go further?

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into Truth, use the links(on the Faith Page) on this Blog to see what others have to say.  Read the Bible verse  for the day on this page, and then read on. Bible Gateway is online .

Filey Parish People blog in Lent : Day24 Rachel

When I woke up this morning the sun was (already) shining through the curtains, but when I drew them back I found that actually it was a foggy day. The sun was making a brave effort and as it began to dispel the murk I began to see blue sky appear. It just reminded me that even when we seem to be surrounded by dark or confusing times, the sun and the sky are still there and the world of beauty is just waiting to be discovered again. 

The same is true of the of The Son!

Thanks! http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1392.htm for Fog Pic

Filey Parish People blog in Lent Day 23 :Vera

Lent to me is a time to look  at my life, my weaknesses, my prayertime which can be really bad. So this Lent I shall pray about praying. I shall read each day 

 Ephesians 3 v18-19

..being rooted and established in love,  may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

And know this is how much Jesus loves me !