A Monthly Publication

I have always been a fan of the late Joyce Grenfell. She was a talented actress as well as a writer of songs and monologues. She was also a Christian and wrote prayers. It was in one of her monologues that she gave her character the lines ‘with a face as long as Lent’. It sums up what many people think of the churches season of Lent. A long dreary time when we give something up, and then we’re miserable because we’ve denied ourselves. That misses the point of what Lent is all about.

If we give something up then there should be a positive side to denial. If we simply give something up out of a sense of duty then there is very little virtue in it; if however we give something up because we can achieve something else through our denial then there is virtue. At St Edmund’s we have a tradition of a Hunger lunch on Fridays through Lent. We join together after the Stations of the Cross at 12noon to have a very simple meal, and the proceeds of what we could have spent on a full meal go to help others. As well as helping others giving up just one meal a week enables us to reflect on how extravagantly we live. It might not seem like an extravagance. But many people in this world still struggle to find something to eat.

Over the last few years we have joined together with members of the Roman Catholic parish of Our Lady & St Edmund for the Stations of the Cross and a hunger lunch. Why not come and join us? The service begins at 12noon, and the venues as given:

March 5^th at St Edmund’s;

March 12^th at RC Church;

March 19^th at St Edmund’s;

March 26^th at RC Church.

Also during Lent we join together with our neighbouring parishes for a Wednesday evening Lent service at 7pm. This year a collection will be taken for the diocesan Lent project. Venues as given:

March 3^rd at Heacham; March 10^th at Sandringham;

March 17^th at Old Hunstanton;

March 24^th at St Edmund’s

[All in the respective parish churches]

Other events at St Edmund’s for March:

Saturday 13^th we have a Quiet Day at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham beginning at 10.15am [no service in St Edmund’s on that Saturday]

Sunday March 14^th is Mothering Sunday, in addition to the usual morning services as have an Afternoon Tea in the hall beginning at 4pm. Sandwiches are provided, we bring along to share cakes, sweets etc. We being with an informal quiz, which is followed by Tea and the afternoon is concluded with a short service in the hall [no 5pm service in church]

Thursday March 25^th is the feast of the Annunciation, also known as Lady Day, there is a Sung Eucharist in St Edmund’s at 7.30pm.

March 28^th is Palm Sunday with our usual services.

Looking ahead to the principal services of Holy Week:

Maundy Thursday 7.30pm Sung Eucharist of the Last Supper with the Gethsemane Watch until Midnight (Compline at 11.45pm)

Good Friday 3pm Liturgy of the Passion;

Holy Saturday (Easter Eve) 8pm the Easter Vigil.

Easter Day the usual morning services at 8am & 10.30am and at 5pm Easter Praise, music and readings for Easter.

Father John, Vicar

[please note a new telephone number 01485 532531]