During Lent we shall once again be holding simple 'hunger lunches' (soup, biscuits
and cheese) each Friday at 
St Mary's, Aldingbourne, commencing on 24 February.
The lunches will be preceded by a short time of prayer starting at 12.45pm, except for      2 March when there will be a  Eucharist (BCP) at 12.30 pm.
Proceeds from the lunches will be donated to the Nick Webber Trust.

Fr. Simon

Please pray for our parish team preparing for Fan the Flame, and for Fr Mark Gilbert and Canon Jo Gavigan who will be coming to lead it. Fan the Flame is a week of teaching and renewal, which many parishes have found to be enormously helpful. Our own Fan the Flame will begin on Monday 30 April, when Bishop Mark will commission the leaders, and will continue until Friday 4 May.
We hope and pray that many of you will want to take part each evening. When he originally devised Fan the Flame, Bishop Lindsay wrote this about it:
Essentially the week itself involves five nights of teaching, song and prayer ministry exploring the basic Christian themes of:

* Baptism (our belonging to Christ)
* Grace (the free gifts of God's love)
* The Cross (reconciliation)
* Resurrection and the Spirit (healing)
* Eucharist (thanksgiving)

Just as a glass concentrates the existing heat from the sun, making a dry leaf burst into flame, so faith that has been 'clouded' by over-familiarity or lack of understanding or the sheer business of 'keeping the show on the road' can be rekindled by this concentrated time together in openness to the Holy Spirit. By putting our faith under the magnifying glass, the truths we have heard preached, and the sacraments we have celebrated, and the joy of community living, are experienced afresh and with renewed power.'

I hope to be holding a LENT COURSE again on Wednesday evenings during Lent from 7.30 until 9pm. [29th Feb - 28th March incl.
We shall be following a course that I hope will help us prepare for 'Fan the Flame' and I expect these evenings will be held in Eastergate school...
Watch this space for more details!

Sheila

Lent begins on Wednesday 22 February. The Eucharist will be celebrated that day at both  Fastergate and Barnham, and will include the  Imposition of Ashes.

Do you want to come to church,   but don't want to go alone, or are worried about what to expect.
Help is at hand, contact a friendly churchgoer awho will come with you to explain the service and help you  to feel welcome.
For Barnham Church,                                       
call Bradley Smith on 554734 
For Eastergate Church,   
call Maggie Courtnadge on 552099 
For Aldingbourne Church,                                     
call Barbara Coombes on 542857 

Please feel free to contact any of the above who will be happy to answer any questions.

Our Lord promised that "When two or three are gathered together I will be with them" Although it is wonderful to be part of a prayer group of half a dozen or more, I believe that our Lord did literally mean that if we meet in groups of two, or preferably three, he really can work miracles. I would like to suggest that people get together in such groups, to pray for our Parish & each other. 
In April we are having a "Fan the Flame" revival & need lots of prayer to encourage us in God's work here. If you would like to participate in this but don't know anyone to join you, please let me know & I will try & get groups together. 
The Parish Office is available to use most evenings, or alternatively if someone is housebound perhaps they could ask a couple of friends to join them one evening a week. You don't have to pray out loud - the fact that you are all there praying to God together will be amazing!

Maggie