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A Bulletin for Middle Rasen, West Rasen and Toft Newton Parishes
FEBRUARY 2007 (Faldingworth, Friesthorpe, Middle Rasen, Newton, West Rasen) Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent Shrovetide was the name for the last three days before the beginning of Lent. Quinquagesima Sunday (Shrove Sunday) is the Sunday before Lent begins; the next day was called Collop Monday (Shrove Monday) and named after a traditional meal of eggs and collops of bacon which provide the fat for the pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday (20 February in 2007) always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies from year to year. In 2008 it will be on February 5 th ! Shrovetide was a time of celebration with games, sports, and dancing. It was a time of fun and revelry in the villages. Feasts used up the foods that could not be eaten during the Lenten fast. The name 'shrove' comes from the old word 'shrive' which means to confess. In the Middle Ages, people used to confess their sins so that they could be forgiven before the season of Lent begins. Lent is an old English word meaning 'lengthen'. It is observed in the second half of the winter season as the days begin the lengthen. Ash Wednesday (21 st February 2007) begins Lent. Lent is It is the period of 40 days excluding Sundays) which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. It is a time of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's 40 days of withdrawal into the desert following his Baptism by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. Jesus' solitary experience, which was marked by temptation and self-denial, was the preparation for his future ministry. Some Christians through the centuries have often fasted and spent time in spiritual reflection and meditation during these days. (Please see inside for the discussion meetings on Monday mornings) The events in Jesus' life that are remembered during Lent include the Entry into Jerusalem on a donkey (Palm Sunday) amid the rejoicing crowd, and the following five days (Holy Week) up to and including his trial and Good Friday, when the crowd called for his execution by crucifixion by the Romans. (Acknowledgements BBC website / Woodlands Junior School website) The Editor
November : The Bishop of Lincoln writes During 2005 families from Lincolnshire were caught up in terrorist atrocities which claimed victims in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar. It was a privilege for me to be asked to preach at a Memorial Service for these victims in Southwark Cathedral, attended by relations and friends, but also by the Duke of York, the Prime Minister and other representatives of national life. In a sense, we were simply a random group of people bonded by the loathsome lottery which is international terrorism. We had to face the fact that such acts seem to be woven into the web and woof of a world so full of wonder and at the same time so full of woe. Yet we are not without Hope. Not that kind of hope which is mere pie in the sky, or the perky optimism of a Pollyanna for whom facts have been displaced by fantasy. The Hope for which we stand as Christians is that rigorous and robust brand of hope which refuses to allow evil and evil-doers the satisfaction of believing that they have had the last word. It is the hope that St Augustine spoke of when he said: "Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are Anger and Courage: anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are." At the heart of all this is remembrance upon which we focus so much at this time of year. My feeling is that forgiveness does not mean forgetting, but remembering in a new way. Remembering not so as to retaliate or get even or claim an eye for an eye or a life for a life, but remembering so as to redeem what has happened; to find a way through to new ways of living positively not only with those who wish us well but also with those who wish us harm. Therein lies our Hope, so that alongside counter-terrorism measures we must find ways to encounter terrorism and those who perpetrate such acts. What has been described as 'a war on terror' is as much a battle for hearts and minds as it is a battle against bullets and bombs. Moral and spiritual strength may matter more than military might when it comes to winning through to long term peace and stability. Hear the words of Mary Fetchet whose son Brad died in the World Trade Center on 11 th Sept 2001: ' Every day we are given stones, But what do we build? Is it a bridge or is it a wall? I believe we must build bridges' So as a new way of remembering, let us use our memories, our tears our hurts and our hopes to build bridges - bridges to a better way and a better world. + John Lincoln
September begins the new school experience for our four year olds who start their adventures at 'real school'. For them the excitement of learning new ways of doing things, finding out about reading , writing and number and exploring ways of socialising with other classmates can be exciting and great fun. They also discover how teachers and classroom assistants expect good standards of behaviour, will praise good work and kind deeds and can firmly deal with attitudes which are not conducive to the well-being of the rest of the class. Learning to admit wrong and saying 'sorry' and receiving forgiveness is also part of the learning process. Being given the opportunity to begin again lays a beneficial foundation for a balanced attitude to life. Those who are older, received their exam results in August. Some will be feeling highly satisfied with their grades because they will now feel confident to make further choices for their future careers or will have a University place confirmed. Others may feel deeply despondent because they have not achieved the grades they wanted for their chosen future path and feel they have failed themselves at this crucial time. These situations offer opportunities for reflection on success and disappointment. All is not euphoria or lost hopes. Acceptance of what is and the willingness to make changes or pursue a different path, can dispel any guilt about the situation and bring about a transformation in hope for the future. For adults, a change of job, a promotion, can bring both excitement and dread. Competency and achievement seem to be the 'buzz-words' for today's workplace. There is a satisfaction in doing a job well and knowing that one is highly skilled and able to cope with all contingencies. It can all go sour when, going into work becomes a dreaded exercise, steeling oneself to face the colleagues and the boss, or possibly the work in hand. Once again, such situations can be faced with courage and personal admission that things are not working out in the best way. Admission of reasons for failure can lead to a new way of looking at the situation which can bring a positive view, thus helping to refocus the mind on the benefits of a new start. Christians might say that God has given us all, whatever our ages, the opportunity of a new start. He loves the world so much but can see the difficulties that the human race get itself into, through bad relationships and negative attitudes to other people and to Himself. He sent his Son Jesus to show us how to learn new ways of relating to each other and treating ourselves more kindly. Jesus came to show us how to say 'sorry' to each other and to God and to offer us forgiveness and a new start for our lives, each time we find we fail. The essence of being 'Christian' is to know what it is to admit failings and wrong attitudes and to feel forgiven by God. Our failures can be completely wiped away, rather like the chalk writing on the old fashioned blackboard, through Jesus' death on the Cross. The possibility of having a 'new start' is an amazing offer from God. All we need to do is to take Him at His word! (St John 3:16) The Editor NEW RASE Please give any dates or events for inclusion to Cynthia Bunch (844661) or click the blue button
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