This coming week on Wednesday is the beginning of Lent. This is a period of 40 days before Easter, not counting Sundays, where Christians fast by giving up something. To fast means, we don’t eat something we want or don’t engage in some activity we prefer. The fast begins this Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. The 40 days of Lent do not include Sundays, as on these days the Lent fast is broken to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. The break-in fast is often celebrated through eating with others. Lent is a time to prayerfully prepare ourselves for celebrating Easter and the significance of Jesus’ life, death and bodily resurrection.

Lent is a time of prayer and reflection. For this reason, we also begin this time with a church-wide 40 Days of Prayer, starting with a Prayer Week. This week provides our church opportunity to bring before God together the life and ministry of our church and the concerns of our community. You can participate in a number of ways. General prayer points are available at our website https://upbc.org.au/40days. You can sign up for more specific daily prayer points on our prayer network. Each evening in Prayer Week, between 7.00 – 8.00pm the church will be open for a shared prayer meeting.

Prayer is the natural language of the Christian. It expresses our dependence on God. Christian prayer is birthed through Jesus in a relationship with our Father God. When we pray, we can be confident God hears, God is close, God will act, God will do good. We have so many things to pray for, so many people to pray for. Please join us this week in prayer.

With Thanks.

Jason (photo parade.com)