Lent course at another church & Good Friday procession

 



Monday in Holy Week

The clocks having gone forward meant it was light as I arrived at the fifth and final session of the Lent course I have been attending in Bodicote. 

Technically we are in the parish and the fairly new vicar was running a course looking at prayer. So good to sit in a group each week, well attended and remain incognito. Not quite sure how I managed to deflect the inevitable questions but I did.

The final evening was held in the church itself 'Praying through the communion service' So Emily walked us all through the service bringing a freshness to the set liturgy. The consequence of which was a delightful sense of peace and calm at the end of the worship and course. It can be good to go elsewhere sometimes from your normal place of worship and so it proved.

Then today we joined in again with the Good Friday Procession of witness in Banbury.

You can just see the famous Banbury Cross. 

There must have been at least 120 folk from various churches and so good to know that all over the town various congregations exist seeking to live out the Christian lifestyle. You can so often forget this especially if you attend an anglican church, a denomination which can at times be very parochial. 


Good to hear the Roman Catholic Priest speak of Jerusalem and the current wars taking place. 

This was no holy huddle but a joyful, peaceful and solemn procession to remind a watching world there is a God who loves all. 


God of community
open the hearts of all people,
that instead of fear and hatred
being sown
May an all embracing Love
well up
breaking down barriers
and uniting the world. Amen


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