MyChurch MyLent
Welcome to... MyChurch MyLent What is MyChurch MyLent ? It is what it says! It is a collection of practical ways to get involved with church and with Lent and hopefully helping out in church and strengthening your Lenten discipline. It is your church and you can choose your discipline for Lent.
What is the idea? There are 29 different ways to connect with church life listed in this booklet. They are listed in different themed groups. You can choose as many or as few to try – some suggestions are listed below. The most important thing is that YOU decide and YOU choose. Either: choose one from each theme– making 6 different actions in total, or choose one or two from the whole book and commit to them for the whole of Lent, or choose any combination or number of things to try out
How does it work? When you have chosen which activities you are going to try and when you are going to try them, tick the smiley face next to each activity: My Pledge:
tick here if you want to try this activity tick here if you want to think more about this activity tick here if you don’t want to try this activity
Some of them you can simply turn up to and join in, some of them you will need to speak to someone about how to get involved. A contact person is given for each activity so you can easily find out more information.
How does this help my Church? Help is always needed to keep any community going and most people are more than willing to help out. But sometimes the same people end up doing the same job for a long time, and others find it difficult or don’t know how to get involved. So this project gives you a chance to try something just once to help out, to see if you like it, and to renew your commitment to your church.
How does this help my Lent? Lent is not just about giving up but of taking on. What we do for Lent should make us think more deeply about our faith and our commitment to God. Our first purpose in our Christian faith is to worship God and the parish church and its congregation is the foremost place for this to happen. The church and its congregation are also a good place to start in strengthening and nurturing our faith. Helping in church will help us grow as a community and as individuals. A task taken on in church as a discipline for Lent will connect us with each other and form us more strongly into the body of Christ.
What else can I do? The services, activities and jobs listed in this booklet are only some of the things you can do. If you are unable to pledge to take part in any of these activities please pray for those who do. There is a suggested prayer and scripture passage for each theme. You might like to give a donation for each of the activities you take part in or pray for.
Is there more information? The parish website contains all sorts of information about everything listed in this booklet. And on the Lent page (web address below) there is also a fuller list of prayers, scripture and resources to accompany each of the 29 activities in this book.
Why not make MyChurch MyLent your gift this Lent? www.stagneslongsight.org/lent
MyChurch MyLent General Church Activities
Almighty God and Father, you have so ordered our life that we are dependent on one another: prosper the work of our hands and direct our minds that we may rightly use your gifts in the service of others; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. (Heb 13.2)
Activity 1 Contact Pledge?
Activity 2 Contact Pledge?
Activity 3 Contact Pledge?
Activity 4 Contact Pledge?
Refreshments Serving tea and coffee after Sundays services and washing up Ermine Blake Assisting Sidespeople Giving out hymn books, taking collection, welcoming people Pearl Campbell PCC (observer) Discussions, decisions and planning for the whole ministry and mission of St Agnes’ Stephen Altar Servers Helping out at the altar, carrying the cross or candles, incense Lewis Njoku
MyChurch MyLent Community & Action
Father of all, whose Son has promised to be with us always, to the end of the age: hear us as we pray for those among whom we live and work. Grant that we may be so aware of the presence of Christ, that people may see him in us. Amen.
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. (James 2.22)
Activity 5
Contact Pledge?
Activity 6 Contact Pledge?
Activity 7
Contact Pledge?
Activity 8
Contact Pledge?
Community & Action Group Monthly hour-long group looking at ways we can connect as a church and congregation with the local community and issues which affect our lives and the world Lara Evergreens Meeting every Tuesday between 1.30 and 3.30 - a social group for the over 50s Joyce Green Longsight Festival A yearly celebration for the local community – why not be a part of it? Volunteers needed for all sorts of activities before and during the event in May. Lara Whit Walks For over 200 years Christians have walked through the city centre of Manchester witnessing to their faith – a great morning of fun, fitness and fellowship: May 30th Colin Best
MyChurch MyLent Living & Praying
Lord of heaven and earth, as Jesus taught his disciples to be persistent in prayer, give us patience and courage never to lose hope, but always to bring our prayers before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
As you also join in helping us by your prayers, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted to us through the prayers of many. (2Cor 1.11)
Activity 9
Contact Pledge?
Activity 10 Contact Pledge?
Activity 11 Contact Pledge?
Activity 12
Contact Pledge?
Activity 13 Contact Pledge?
Parish Visiting Do you enjoy visiting? Would you like to be part of a team who support the sick, and those in need? Could you visit someone regularly? Edna Brown Living & Praying Group Got an idea or comment about pastoral care or prayer? Join an informal conversation about the nurturing of the St Agnes’ family. Stephen Evening Prayer For twenty minutes on weekdays, from 5pm, a quiet, scriptural and prayerful evening service. Muriel Hanley Prayer Tree A group of 6 or 7 people who agree to pray in their own home at a certain time for a specific person or need. Focussed and shared prayer. Doreen Healey Parish Prayers: Exposition Once a month a quiet 30 minutes of silent prayer and meditation in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Sit down and wait on God. Oswald Collins
MyChurch MyLent Building & Environment
Almighty God, to whose glory we care for this house of prayer: we praise you for the many blessings you have given to those who worship you here: and we pray that all who seek you in this place may find you, and, being filled with the Holy Spirit, may become a living temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
So those who were engaged in the work laboured, and the repairs went forward at their hands, and they restored the house of God to its proper condition and strengthened it. (2Chron 24.13)
Activity 14
Contact Pledge?
Activity 15 Contact Pledge?
Activity 16
Contact Pledge?
Activity 17 Contact Pledge?
Activity 18 Contact Pledge?
Altar Linen Each week we use 6 or 7 small linen cloths at the eucharist as well as the altar cloths which need laundering every few weeks. Could you take some home to wash and iron? Beryl Eldridge Brasses & Cleaning From cleaning brass to polishing pews there are lots of cleaning jobs – big and small – which you could try. Even 15 minutes would help... Sabina Bencher Gardening Now that spring is on its way the garden will need some extra care to tidy up after the winter. From weeding to mowing and all sorts of other jobs... Oswald Collins Building & Environment Group A building of this size requires a lot of care – changing light bulbs, painting wood, fixing faults – can you spare some time for DIY? Seymour Blake Flowers No experience needed just a desire to help make the church look beautiful for festivals and Sundays throughout the year. Jennifer Newton
MyChurch MyLent Holy Week
God of glory, by the raising of your Son you have broken the chains of death and hell: fill your Church with faith and hope; for a new day has dawned and the way to life stands open in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ (Lk 22.14-16)
Activity 19
Contact Pledge?
Activity 20 Contact Pledge?
Activity 21 Contact Pledge?
Maundy Thursday Eucharist One of the most powerful services in the Church’s year – the eucharist of the Last Supper, washing of feet and the Watch simply turn up, or more information from the clergy
Good Friday Liturgy At 2 o’clock in the afternoon a sombre service around the Cross simply turn up, or more information from the clergy
Easter Eve Vigil The glory of the church’s liturgy – from darkness to light with a service packed with movement and symbolism. simply turn up, or more information from the clergy
MyChurch MyLent Worship & Faith
Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe. (Heb 12.28)
Activity 22 Contact Pledge?
Activity 23 Contact Pledge?
Activity 24 Contact Pledge?
Activity 25
Contact Pledge?
Worship & Faith Group An informal group that meets to plan worship and ideas for our services. Date: see Newsletter. Stephen
Readers Reading the Scripture at Weekday or Sunday services Stephen
Hymn Practice Tuesday evenings at 7pm for one hour – come and sing along to the hymns you know so well just turn up, or for more details see Dorothy Vernon
Intercessors Leading prayers at the Wednesday or Sunday Eucharist – creating your own or we can provide ready-made intercessions Jennifer Newton
Activity 26
Contact Pledge?
Activity 27 Contact Pledge?
Activity 28 Contact Pledge?
Activity 29 Contact Pledge?
Bible Cafe Monthly hour long group that listens to a passage of scripture and then shares any thoughts or questions about it over coffee and cake. Date: see Newsletter Muriel Hanley
Lent Groups Informal hour-long group looking at scripture and conversations about life and faith. Wednesdays, 11.30am Joyce Green
Week Eucharists Join us on a Wednesday morning at 11am for a said celebration of the Eucharist – and other times as announced simply turn up, or more information from the clergy
Junior Church Assistants Helping out with our children’s work on Sunday mornings during the service Helen Pearce
The cost of printing this booklet was met by an anonymous donation. Thank you.