What is in Kelvin's Head?

A Preface for Ash Wednesday

13/02/2021

The following preface was written to mark the beginning of Lent and reflects the language and character of the Lenten material in the Scottish Liturgy 1982 and Daily Prayer of the Scottish Episcopal Church

Dear Friends in Christ, it is the custom of Christian people to prepare to mark the time of Christ’s passion and resurrection by a season of penitence and fasting.

The church calls each of us during these forty days to repent of all that causes harm to ourselves, harm to our earthly dwelling place and harm to our relationship with God.

By carefully keeping these days, Christians take to heart the call to repentance and the assurance of forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel, and so grow in faith and devotion. In turning our hearts towards God, we discover anew the boundless grace of God.

For God will help us to create beauty even within the turmoil of this chaotic world and will help us to gather a harvest of joy and gladness from lives of sorrow and care. Today and every day, God calls the wandering exile home.

We are invited therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy word.

7 responses to “M 40, GSOH obviously…”

Rachel

27/06/2007

Not sure if you read “Christianity” magazine, but they have had an “agony” column for the last few months which has addressed mostly sexual issues and has caused a storm of debate on the letters pages about their suitability in a “family” publication. The topics covered are among those least likely to be heard in a sermon but very important for christians to think through.

I am dubious as to whether “Inspire” has the nerve to take up either of your suggestions.

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kelvin

27/06/2007

Thanks for the comment Rachel. I don’t read Christianity so I was unaware of this. How very interesting.

Inspires does not claim to be a family magazine – it is for everyone, but I could easily imagine the same kind of debate.

The most interesting thing about the kind of reaction that you describe is that people seem to be saying that such topics should not be discussed in a family setting. I’ve a feeling that this is a particularly strong view in the UK and very different to what seems to be the case in, for example, the Netherlands, where there would be a presumption that the family was exactly the right place for open discussion.

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Rev Ruth

27/06/2007

Rev F (50), small rectory, seeks clergy-wife /scrubber to keep house tidy, prepare meals and listen after a long hard day. GSOH essential.

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kelvin

27/06/2007

Mother R, has it passed you by that slavery has been abolished?

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Kimberly

27/06/2007

I think we need to combine this post with last:

Fr Kevin’s agony-auntie weblog–

relationship-guidance, fashion, vocational questions, handy household tips …

just watch the blog-stats soar

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Rob+

28/06/2007

M 38 happily attached… still waiting for that Liturgy though

maybe I can bitch to agony-auntie for some help 😉

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Andrew

30/06/2007

Almost new liturgy (one careful Methodist owner) seeks a church for meals and occasional companionship. Comes complete with canonical approval and Guild of Servers certification. Affectionate, but a little nervous with children and Archbishop Drexel Gomez. No Anglican Hymn-book time wasters please.

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