This Week

Dear all

During Lent we are called to prepare - by works of love and self-sacrifice - for the celebration of our Lord's death and resurrection. This year these preparations, commemorations and celebrations will take a rather different tone.

We are trying to make sure that people are still connected – to God, and to the Church family, and even though separated from one another, we still come together in spirit and in truth to begin this solemn celebration in union with the Church throughout the world. Christ enters his own city to complete his work as our Saviour, to suffer, to die, and to rise again.

There are many for whom this current season already feels a little bleak (to say the least) but let us go with Christ in faith and love, so that, united with him in his sufferings, we may share his risen life.

Throughout the week there will be opportunities to worship together and the reflections for Holy Week included below will form a part of those devotions and our thanks to Douglas for these, and the sermon for Palm Sunday also included below.

You can also find on this page two ideas for creative worship – do have a look, not least at the palm cross idea that could be fed in to the Oxford Diocese worship to be streamed at 10am on Sunday via this link

Once again, the Church of England will also be providing a service at 9am on Sunday and that can be found at this link

Please do spread the word about our revamped benefice website, and encourage others to keep in touch with what is going on by signing up to these updates – just cut and paste the link to them in an email:

https://mailchi.mp/d58d3b280189/east-downland-sign-up

Very importantly, if there are any people who you know would like a hard copy of this then please print it off for them or let me know, and I’ll take care of it (whilst keeping socially physically distant!)

All the best, God bless, and keep safe

John