As is often the case, the March magazine is published as we begin Lent. Once again we have an opportunity to use this month as a   preparation for the great festival of Easter, with the powerful themes of death and resurrection; themes that we see all around us.

Death and resurrection are themes that we see in nature, partly through the changing seasons, but also through cultivation. Cutting back plants is a way of encouraging growth, as is digging out weeds and spreading fertiliser. In our spiritual life there are many ways of applying these principles. Cutting back can give us a positive reason for giving things up. Jesus was particularly good at spending time in prayer so he knew what to say ‘no’ to.

The digging up of weeds can also represent the cutting out of things in our lives that are not helpful; whilst sowing new plants or seeds can be a picture of something that will lead to growth.

It is helpful if we take time to discern the areas of our lives that leave us more desolate or diminished so are good things to stop. It could also lead to the whole area of confession as we face up to areas in our lives that need to change. Confession then becomes a positive experience as the fault is faced up to and dealt with by decisively   turning away from it. By God’s grace we are then set free from the consequences.

So maybe giving up a TV programme could be helpful if we used the time to enrich ourselves in other ways. This can take a number of forms: taking time to read the Bible and pray; deciding to spend time with neighbours or friends; perhaps joining one of our Lent Groups to build relationships and encourage faith to grow; choosing to care for someone perhaps with a phone call or writing a letter.

This year there are opportunities to join other churches in   Wakefield for a service each Sunday evening during Lent. The times and places can be found on page 15 of this magazine, along with the details of our small groups. Let this Lent be a time for growth, as we ask the Holy Spirit to make us restless till we change, and prepare for the glorious celebration of Easter.      

Rev Bill Henderson

This is the first magazine of 2017, so I would like to begin with wishing you all a Happy New Year.

We are at the beginning of the year, but already significant things have happened for the life of the Parish. The vacancies at Outwood and Wrenthorpe have given the opportunity to start a new way of working collaboratively across the parishes.

After prayer and consultation, this has resulted in me being licenced as Priest in charge of Outwood and Wrenthorpe. At the same time, two young Priests have been licenced into each Parish. Jonathan Bish into Outwood and Jo Kershaw into Wrenthorpe. They are a married couple so will be living in the Wrenthorpe vicarage.

We are in the process of thinking and praying how this will work out. I want to encourage a good relationship between the parishes. It is all too easy to live in next door parishes and yet know very little about what goes on there or the people who live and worship there.

Each parish has it’s own distinctive style and the plan is for that distinctiveness to be retained but for us to grow in understanding and valuing the differences. The Church of England has a rich tradition of diversity and we have an opportunity to experience something of that in our own communities.

I would like to encourage people to come along to events in each parish, so we are inviting people from Outwood and Wrenthorpe to come to our Ceilidh on 11th March at St Peter’s school. There is a Youth Event at Wakefield Cathedral in the evening of 24th February and I am hoping that young people from each parish will come to that. Wrenthorpe are having a ‘Sing-along to Frozen’, with optional fancy dress, on 11th February

We are planning to use the same material for our Lent groups in each parish, and to encourage some mixing from the congregations.

There are some important things to agree and decide e.g. what do we call the new grouping? I look forward to a year developing this new relationship; may God bless it.

Rev Bill Henderson

I was in London last week and was rather overwhelmed by the number of people. I went to catch a morning tube and the platform was completely full of commuters so the whole station was packed from the edge of the platform to the tube walls. As each tube train came in a number of the crowd got on, we all moved forward and waited till the next train came. I had to wait for about 4 trains before I was able to get on. Then I saw an article about the world’s biggest traffic in USA, when so many people were traveling for their Thanksgiving that the roads were gridlocked.

I was struck by the outrageous fact that Jesus came for everyone of these people, and for me too, too many for us to imagine. Each person with their own hopes, dreams, fears and disappointments. This Christmas season is when we can once again reflect on the amazing story of God coming to dwell amongst us to bring Hope. Coming into a world he had created to be a good place but we human beings have messed up. God did not abandon us to our fate but in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus has given us a way for a fulfilled future. This is God’s gift of hope to a world in desperate need of love, forgiveness and a better way of living.

We have a number of good traditions that make this a time of hope and celebration; such as giving and receiving presents to show that we care. On the 4th December we have our St Nicholas day     service when we bring presents for children who do not otherwise receive much, which are distributed by Barnardo’s to give them hope. Another tradition is singing carols, old and new that tell the story and encourage us. There are a number of occasions to join in with that   advertised in this magazine. There are events for all different ages and at different times so that at least one should be convenient. Coming together at this time will help us think about not only receiving the gift of Christ afresh for ourselves but also being   willing to share the good news and spirit of goodwill. Please take the opportunity to come and join us. Our prayer is that you meet Jesus himself and find real hope for the future.

Rev Bill Henderson