Lentweets

Each day in Lent I will post a tweet (a Lentweet) on aspects of public penitence (#PublicPenitence).

Lent is the season of preparation for the revelatory and transformative moment of Jesus' death and Christ's resurrection.

In this transformative process - spiritually, symbolically and in the people we are - Christians are made new. We can become more ourselves as God made us - a little more Christlike, a little closer to realising the godly qualities in each of us.

This is both personal and public, individual and communal. None of us is an isolated atom: we are who we are only in continual engagement with the people around in the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Our potential may be vast, our constraints are legion.

The Lenten disciplines of penitence and denial are intended 

1. to help us determine and focus on what is important (against the background  clamour of so many very persuasive distractions)
2. to re-prioritise our lives - giving spiritual considerations much greater importance in lasting practice
3. to prepare ourselves for the transformation of being caught up in Christ's death and resurrection.

I suggest - and this is what the Lentweets will focus on - that a part of our Lenten observance should also address the world around us. We should repent both of our own failings and of those of the world in which we live.

I suggest we should look at the evils of our ordinary existence - from the biggest (eg. war and poverty), to the near at hand (like addictions and discrimination), to the pervasive (such as the mal-distribution of wealth, income and opportunity).

Those things are all  bigger than us. It can be very hard to get our heads around them. But they are all made and sustained by the decisions people make. None of them are natural or inevitable. 

We are not individually responsible for the way things are. But we are complicit in it. We are responsible for our response to the evils of the world. And we are deeply shaped by so much much that is simply wrong. 

Pray for transformation and work for a little better.

Paul Bagshaw

Enemies and Opponents - an imaginative path 3

These five imaginative exercises were devised for those attending the quiet mornings in St Hilda's Church in Lent 2015.

They are meant to be followed in sequence:

1. Calling Disciples

2. Strangers and Outsiders

3. Enemies and Opponents (this one)

4. Power and Violence

5. The Resurrected Jesus

The framework for each exercise is the same. The sequence follows an emotional path towards the cross and, through it, to the resurrected Jesus.

An imaginative path:

Please note: this can be a heavy duty exercise. Don't go any further or stay any longer than you are comfortable with. It's not meant to be an ordeal but an opportunity for discovery.

Take the break as advised. Have a proper break. Have a cup of tea (or your preferred equivalent). Go for a walk. Distract yourself, and then come back to pick up where you left off.

Don't leave a section suddenly. Always leave on a positive note by saying thank you, and politely excuse yourself before you turn to go.

It is important that, in your imagination, you walk yourself from your present surroundings and circumstances into the imagined setting – and equally important that you walk yourself back out again at the end. Take it steady: there is no rush.

And if you do leave abruptly then look at what it was that made you leave. Offer it in prayer.

1. Enemies and Opponents

1. The first step

Imagine the landscape of Jesus' day (don't try to 'get it right')

Walk into the place, carrying an empty bag

This is a quiet, safe place, with no-one else around

Look around and find a comfortable spot,

imagine something as a landmark, and put your bag down

fill the bag with all the everyday things you bring with you,

what you're going to do when you leave here

what you need to get on with later

conversations you've had, or need to have

all those things you ought to have done but haven't got around to

and when you've filled the bag

put it down and leave it there. It will be safe.

El Greco, 

Christ Driving the Money Changers from the Temple,

2. The first turn

Walk a little way along a path, go round a corner

There are two of Jesus' disciples stood watching. Stand with them. You are not on your own.

imagine you can see three or four people walking and talking

Look and listen

you can see their agitation before you hear anything.

One person is hurt, distressed

One person is bewildered, disorientated

One person is angry, shouting

Why?

Jesus is at the heart of the group.

What has he said or done to provoke such reactions?

Don't say anything, just hang around with them a while as an observer, a watcher, standing to one side of the group.

After a little while.

Say thank you, and politely take your leave and return to the spot where you left your bag, and walk out of the place, back into the church.

TAKE A BREAK

3. The second step

Walk back to the place you were in before, carrying your bag with you

remember: this is a quiet, safe place, with no-one else around at the moment.

This time, put more important things into your bag

People – relationships,

fears, hopes, anxieties

time

yourself – who you are

(you can come back to this spot at any time, everything will be safe)

Leave the bag again, and set off around the same corner as before. It will be safe.

Madrazo, the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin

4. The second turn

When you round the corner Jesus is sat there, a small man on his own, waiting for you

The crowd is still there, so are the disciples. Only now the disciples are stood behind Jesus, looking at the crowd over Jesus' shoulder.

Join the disciples. You are protected by them. 

Listen, look,

Consider: how is Jesus in the face of such hostility? How does he respond?

Consider: what is it in Jesus that could provoke such antagonism?

Ask him.

And if Jesus does not provoke these reactions in us – then what is it that we don't see, or that we don't acknowledge?

Ask him.

It is hard to stand in the face of such hurt and anger with its threat of violence. You are safe but don't stay too long; Jesus will wait for you.

5. The third step

When it's time, when you're ready:

Say goodbye properly, and thank the disciples you stood with, thank Jesus

Walk back round the corner to where your bag is

Sit beside it for a while,

reflect on the experience of Jesus you've just had

reflect on what it felt like to be a foreigner, an outsider

Take a last look around and, when you're ready,

pick up your bag and carry it with you as you

walk back into the present

In the present:

Unpack your bag: in your imagination slowly take out all the important things and re-assume them; then take out the less important things and own them again. Cherish each item.

TAKE A BREAK. Relax. Do something. Give yourself time to reflect on your experience.

and repeat if you wish.

Please feel free to leave a comment.

Strangers and Outsiders - an imaginative path 2

These five imaginative exercises were devised for those attending the quiet mornings in St Hilda's Church in Lent 2015.

They are meant to be followed in sequence:

1. Calling Disciples

2. Strangers and Outsiders (this one)

3. Enemies and Opponents

4. Power and Violence

5. The Resurrected Jesus

The framework for each exercise is the same. The sequence follows an emotional path towards the cross and, through it, to the resurrected Jesus.

An imaginative path:

Please note: this can be a heavy duty exercise. Don't go any further or stay any longer than you are comfortable with. It's not meant to be an ordeal but an opportunity for discovery.

Take the break as advised. Have a proper break. Have a cup of tea (or your preferred equivalent). Go for a walk. Distract yourself, and then come back to pick up where you left off.

Don't leave a section suddenly. Always leave on a positive note by saying thank you, and politely excuse yourself before you turn to go.

It is important that, in your imagination, you walk yourself from your present surroundings and circumstances into the imagined setting – and equally important that you walk yourself back out again at the end. Take it steady: there is no rush.

And if you do leave abruptly then look at what it was that made you leave. Offer it in prayer.

2. Strangers and Outsiders

1. The first step

Imagine the landscape of Jesus' day (don't try to 'get it right')

Walk into the place, carrying an empty bag

This is a quiet, safe place, with no-one else around

Look around and find a comfortable spot,

imagine something as a landmark, and put your bag down

fill the bag with all the everyday things you bring with you,

what you're going to do when you leave here

what you need to get on with later

conversations you've had, or need to have

all those things you ought to have done but haven't got around to

and when you've filled the bag

Angelika Kauffmann  

Discourse between Jesus and 

the Samaritan Woman at the Well

put it down and leave it there. It will be safe.

2. The first turn

Walk a little way along a path, go round a corner

imagine you can see three or four people walking and talking

join the group. Look and listen;

Jesus is at the heart of the group.

There is a woman there who is a foreigner. She does not understand the language. Someone is interpreting for her. What does the woman want?

You too are a foreigner.

How do you feel? An outsider? Not understanding?

Don't say anything, just walk with them a while as a friend, as one of the group

After a little while.

Say thank you, and politely take your leave and return to the spot where you left your bag, and walk out of the place, back into the church.

TAKE A BREAK

3. The second step

Walk back to the place you were in before, carrying your bag with you

remember: this is a quiet, safe place, with no-one else around at the moment.

This time, put more important things into your bag

People – relationships,

fears, hopes, anxieties

time

yourself – who you are

(you can come back to this spot at any time, everything will be safe)

Leave the bag again, and set off around the same corner as before. It will be safe.

4. The second turn

When you round the corner Jesus is sat there, a small man on his own, waiting for you

Do you sit or stand: you choose.

Listen, look,

You come as an outsider, a foreigner, a stranger,

yet he knows you.

Say anything you like: and wait.

Do you need an interpreter? Someone who can make clear to Jesus what you mean – someone who can make clear to you what Jesus says?

If so, wait little, someone will come along who can help.

Trust them.

Ask whatever you wish to ask

There may be an answer, there may not, just wait.

You are utterly safe, known, loved, protected

Wait, listen

But don't stay too long; Jesus will wait for you.

Joseph-Marie Vien, Healing the royal official's son

5. The third step

When it's time, when you're ready:

Say goodbye properly, and thank him

Walk back round the corner to where your bag is

Sit beside it for a while,

reflect on the experience of Jesus you've just had

reflect on what it felt like to be a foreigner, an outsider

Take a last look around and, when you're ready,

pick up your bag and carry it with you as you

walk back into the present

In the present:

Unpack your bag: in your imagination slowly take out all the important things and re-assume them; then take out the less important things and own them again. Cherish each item.

TAKE A BREAK. Relax. Do something. Give yourself time to reflect on your experience.

and repeat if you wish.

Please feel free to leave a comment.

Calling Disciples - an imaginative path 1

These five imaginative exercises were devised for those attending the quiet mornings in St Hilda's Church in Lent 2015.

They are meant to be followed in sequence:

1. Calling Disciples (this one)

2. Strangers and Outsiders

3. Enemies and Opponents

4. Power and Violence

5. The Resurrected Jesus

The framework for each exercise is the same. The sequence follows an emotional path towards the cross and, through it, to the resurrected Jesus.

An imaginative path:

Please note: this can be a heavy duty exercise. Don't go any further or stay any longer than you are comfortable with. It's not meant to be an ordeal but an opportunity for discovery.

Take the break as advised. Have a proper break. Have a cup of tea (or your preferred equivalent). Go for a walk. Distract yourself, and then come back to pick up where you left off.

Don't leave a section suddenly. Always leave on a positive note by saying thank you, and politely excuse yourself before you turn to go.

It is important that, in your imagination, you walk yourself from your present surroundings and circumstances into the imagined setting – and equally important that you walk yourself back out again at the end. Take it steady: there is no rush.

And if you do leave abruptly then look at what it was that made you leave. Offer it in prayer.

1. Calling Disciples

1. The first step

Imagine the landscape of Jesus' day (don't try to 'get it right', it's meant to be imaginary)

Walk into the place, carrying an empty bag

This is a quiet, safe place, with no-one else around

Look around and find a comfortable spot,

imagine something as a landmark, and put your bag down

fill the bag with all the everyday things you bring with you,

what you're going to do when you leave here

what you need to get on with later

conversations you've had, or need to have

all those things you ought to have done but haven't got around to

and when you've filled the bag

put it down and leave it there. It will be safe.

Jesus walking with his disciples - History Channnel / Christianity Today 

2. The first turn

Walk a little way along a path, go round a corner

imagine you can see a small group of people walking and talking

join the group. Look and listen

Jesus is at the heart of the group

Amongst them are:

Simon and Andrew, James and John, Mary and Martha, Philip and Nathanael, there are others too.

look through their eyes

what do you suppose the disciples see in Jesus?

what do you see?

What are their hopes, do you think, what are their desires, what are their blind-spots?

And yours?

Don't say anything, just walk with them a while as a friend, as one of the group

After a little while.

Say thank you, and politely take your leave and return to the spot where you left your bag, and walk out of the place, back into the church.

TAKE A BREAK

3. The second step

Walk back to the place you were in before, carrying your bag with you

remember: this is a quiet, safe place, with no-one else around at the moment.

This time, put more important things into your bag

People – relationships,

fears, hopes, anxieties

time

yourself – who you are

(you can come back to this spot at any time, everything will be safe)

Leave the bag again, and set off around the same corner as before. It will be safe.

Altobello Melone - The Road to Emmaus

4. The second turn

When you round the corner Jesus is sat there, a small man on his own, waiting for you

Do you sit or stand: you choose.

Listen, look,

Say anything you like: and wait.

There may be an answer, there may not, just wait.

You are utterly safe, known, loved, protected

Wait, listen

Do you see what the disciples saw in Jesus?

But don't stay too long; Jesus will wait for you.

5. The third step

When it's time, when you're ready:

Say goodbye properly, and thank him

Walk back round the corner to where your bag is

Sit beside it for a while,

reflect on the experience of Jesus you've just had

Take a last look around and, when you're ready,

pick up your bag and carry it with you as you

walk back into the present

In the present:

Unpack your bag: in your imagination slowly take out all the important things and re-assume them; then take out the less important things and own them again. Cherish each item.

TAKE A BREAK. Relax. Do something. Give yourself time to reflect on your experience.

and repeat if you wish.

Please feel free to leave a comment

Palm Sunday Choral Evensong at St Peter's Balkwell

40 Days of Darkness

At the Holy Biscuit

As part of a programme of events to mark the UN International Year of Light, the Holy Biscuit's spring exhibition is inspired by a short (4 minute) film ‘Return of the Sun’ (on Vimeo here).

This documentary by Glen Milner looks at an Inuit community in Northern Greenland, who spend 40 days of their winter in complete darkness. 

To tie this in with the 40 day season of lent, they have curated an exhibition designed to encourage people to imagine what it would feel like to live in darkness, waiting for the moment when the sun rises for the first time. 

Local artists have been invited to reflect on their personal experiences of how creativity can help us journey through dark places, or bring us out of them.

40 Days in the Dark
will run from
12 March at 6pm to
2 April at 4pm
open to all 
10am to 4pm, 
Tuesday to Saturday
here

 

Seeing clearly in Lent

My Ash Wednesday sermon was one sentence:

Lent is a time to see clearly.

(Alright, I padded it a bit, but not much.)

It was suggested by reading a poem by Jean  M. Watt in Janet Morley's book the heart's time: a poem a day for Lent and Easter.

Lent 

Lent is a tree without blossom, without leaf,
Barer than blackthorn in its winter sleep,
All unadorned. Unlike Christmas which decrees
The setting-up, the dressing-up of trees,
lent is a taking down, a stripping bare,
A starkness after all has been withdrawn
Of surplus and superfluous,
Leaving no hiding-place, only an emptiness
Between black branches, a most precious space
Before the leaf, before the time of flowers,
Lest we should see only the leaf, the flower,
lest we should miss the stars.

In the quiet mornings through Lent, and in other ways, this will be a bit of a theme: learning to look for and at Jesus  with clear (or, at least, clearer) eyes.

Note:
Janet Morley's book is available from all good booksellers  (as they used to say).

But on a quick search I was unable to discover much at all about Jean M Watt, though this poem has been appreciated and used by several  others.

Christian Aid Lunches

As St Hilda's has done for several years, we will be hosting

Christian Aid Lunches

from 12.00 noon each Tuesday

during Lent. 

You are warmly invited to join us for some home made soup and a roll on

• February 24th
• March 3rd
• March 10th
• March 17th, and
• March 24th.

Encountering Jesus in Lent

Encountering Jesus

There will be four Quiet Saturdays in Lent on the theme of encountering Jesus.

These will provide an opportunity for members and anyone who cares to join us to deepen faith, personally and together and, if desired, to explore new patterns of prayer and devotion.

There will be a progression through the four Saturdays. However you are welcome to come as many as you can or wish to.

The themes will be:

• 28 February: Calling disciples: Support, community
• 7 March Meeting outsiders: Openness, change
• 14 March Addressing enemies: Trust, risk, assurance
• 28 March Approaching the cross: Power, violence, subversion

The days will begin at 9.30am and conclude at 12.30pm, with the opportunity to bring lunch and to eat together afterwards.

These will be linked with Study Groups held in the vicarage on Wednesdays. If  you'd like to join us you would be very welcome - no need to book, though if you'd like more details feel free to email St Hilda: st.hildamarden@gmail.com

Lent 2015

Tynemouth Deanery Lent course 2015

During Lent this year, we are planning to meet together in different venues to follow the Pilgrim Course, based on the Ten Commandments.

The venues are as follows:

24th Feb: St Mark’s Shiremoor

3rd March: St Mary’s Monkseaton

10th March: St Gearge’s Cullercoats

17th March: St Mary’s Willington

24th March: Holy Saviour’s Tynemouth

31st March: St Peter’s Monkseaton

Please come along and join us. We hope that we will get to know each other a bit better and learn more about our faith.

Each session will begin at 7p.m. and finish by 8.30p.m.

Lifts will be available.

There is no charge

However - could you let us know by February 10 if you're planning to join the group to ensure there are enough booklets for everyone. Thanks