Each year I get the distinct feeling that Christians face the season of Lent with guilty apprehension. It's that time of year again when we have to be gloomy. introspective, self-critical. self-denying and miserable. Why?


The answer so often given is that you can't really appreciate the wonder, joy and exhilaration of Easter without having first travelled the gloomy valley bottom of self-examination and self-denial.  In other words, you can't have the nice experiences of faith without first enduring the painful bits.  It's also the time of year when congregations try to outdo each other with the number of Lenten groups they have.  Well, we at St Christopher's aren't going to have any, apart from those already in existence.  I've absolutely nothing against study groups.  Maybe later this year we'll start an extra Bible-study group.

Lifestyle Working Patterns
For the time being I've other concerns.  Lifestyle and working patterns in Bahrain are very variable, I've discovered.  Our patterns of worship, days and times, still reflect patterns of life from many years ago. Are they still appropriate today?

Church service times so often get set in stone, almost literally.  They reflect past times.  "We've always had a service at 9 am on a Sunday morning, Vicar. "You can't change that, even though no one comes anymore." What's appropriate to the contemporary situation, and when should it happen?  A further even more critical question is: How should we be equipped to be the people of God in today's world?

Quiet reflection
I'm approaching Ash Wednesday and Lent 2003 with these questions in mind.  Despite uncertainty about the date of the public holiday during the first week of March, I'm going ahead with a time of quiet reflection, Quiet Day, on Ash Wednesday, March 5. from 10 am to 4 pm at Awali Church.  We shall also have the use of Awali community hall for toilets and a space for lunch.

Bring your own packed lunch. Drinks will be provided. The day will conclude with a eucharist at 3 pm.

Of course- if you can't attend the whole day you're welcome to attend the final service.  There'll also he the celebration of the eucharist at 6.30 pm at St. Christopher's, as usual. The day will be centred on Matthew 5:3: `'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." It'll include the imposition of ashes.

Discipline postiive
As for the keeping of Lent itself, I suggest we keep our discipline positive rather than using the season to give up sweets merely to lose a few fattening calories.  As a corporate discipline I suggest, rather than struggling to carve out extra time during the week for groups,  we make better use of the worship opportunities already available: the weekly services in the cathedral and at Awali, not forgetting the 8 am morning prayer and holy communion each morning at St. Christopher's.  Contrary to popular belief the clergy aren't here to exercise your relationship with God by proxy.

Prayer and worship is about Sour relationship with God so you need to attend to it.  If the times of existing services aren't convenient then we need to look critically at our church programme. 

Devise your own personal prayer discipline for Lent.  I'm quite happy to give guidance to anyone who needs help in this matter.

Read a book for Lent.  I've a selection which I shall be making available to those wishing to use them plus a selection of this year's Lenten hooks which anyone may borrow.

Lent is about growth in our spiritual life, and no one can do your growing and developing for you.  I ask each and every one of you to examine yourselves honestly and see what areas of life need attention.  Use the Quiet Day at Awali if you can for this purpose,  making a Lenten rule or discipline for the coming weeks. I pray that Lent will be a positive time of growth for us all, both individually and corporately.

....Alan Hayday