Church

54 The West Dorset Magazine, December 2, 2022 Church Repent and re-focus: Because you’re worth it

By Canon Deb Smith, Team Rector of Bridport

As we move into Advent there is a call on our lives to repent, to turn around, to travel in a new direction. Mostly people think about repentance in terms of behaviour and morals. It summons up thoughts of somebody in trouble. Somebody had better straighten up and fly right. To repent means being sorry, remorseful, trying harder, and doing better next time. Being good. Life has a way of dispelling that notion. I suspect you know what I’m talking about. All of us could probably tell stories about times when we did it right, we gave it our best, we tried hard, we made the right decisions, we met the expectations, we did what we were supposed to, and it still didn’t go the way we intended. So, what if repentance is about more than trying harder or a program of self-improvement? What if repentance is really about returning to our truer and better selves? Reclaiming our own integrity and refusing to betray ourselves? Maybe repentance is like learning to walk. It’s not so much about whether we will fall but whether we will get back up when we do fall. Maybe it’s about staying open to our future. Maybe it’s hoping against hope in the possibility of the impossible. What if repentance is simply about getting our life back on track – the opportunity to change our mind, have a change of heart, and change the direction of our life? So, it’s not so much about guilt or innocence but about wholeness and fullness. It’s less about the past and where we’ve come from, and more about the future and where we’re headed. Repentance gives us a future. It invites, calls for, and solicits a change – a response from us. It doesn’t have to be huge, or to fix everything. It’s not a once and for all thing. Repentance is a way of life. We repent our way through life. We repent our way into wholeness. What is one change you could make today – or at least begin – that would bring more wholeness and fullness to your life? What is one change you could begin today that would deepen a relationship you have or open your eyes to beauty in the world? What is one change you could begin today that would help you love and accept yourself more than you do, or soften your heart to the pain and need of someone else? What is one change you could begin today that would open the way to forgiveness of another or yourself? Advent – the journey to Christmas – is about turning to the future with hope and having hearts opened to the possibility of the impossible. One change. A new start. A future. That’s Advent and Advent promises that something is coming. So repent, not because you’re bad, but because you are worth it.

Services

Sherborne Abbey Weekday Services Monday to Saturday at 8.30am, Morning Prayer The Sepulchre Chapel Every Monday at 9am, Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel Every Tuesday at 12noon, Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel Every Wednesday at 10.30am, Holy Communion with Homily – The Lady Chapel Every Thursday at 12noon, BCP Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel Every Friday at 9am, Ecumenical Holy Communion - The Lady Chapel The first Friday of the month at 9am, Requiem Holy Communion - The Sepulchre Chapel - Every Saturday at 9am, Holy Communion - The Sepulchre Chapel Sunday Service for the Holy Trinity, Dorchester8.30am and 10.30amThursday, December 1St Swithun’s Church9.30am –11.45am Community Coffee Morning and Christmas Gifts Sale Sunday, December 4 Sherborne Abbey: 8am Holy Communion, 9.30am Eucharist, 6pm Evensong 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm Shopper’s Carols Martin of Tours, Lillington: 10am Family Service James the Great, Longburton: 10am Family Communion St Paul’s at The Gryphon: 10.30am Morning Worship, 3-5pm Christmas Carols St Mary Magdalene, Castleton: 11.15am Mattins Burton Bradstock: 8am Holy Communion, 10.30am Songs of Praise Swyre: 3pm Evening Prayer Puncknowle: 9.30am Holy Communion Litton Cheney: Morning Worship Long Bredy: 11am Holy Communion St Swithuns: 3pm Organ recital - Alex Davies, Musical Director of Lyme Regis Parish Church. Music by Bach, Buxtehude and Mendelssohn, 4pm Contemplative Prayer St Mary the Virgin, Powerstock: 9.30am Morning Prayer St Mary Magdalene, Loders: 11am Benefice Eucharist Tuesday, December 6 2.30pm UK Railway Tours Carol Service Friday, December 9 Sherborne Abbey: 10am Mothers’ Union Carol Service, 2pm Sherborne Prep School Carol Service Saturday Saturday, December 10 11am Sherborne School Carol Service 2.30pm Sherborne Girls’ School Carol Service 7.30pm Band of the Rifles Christmas Concert Sunday, December 11 Sherborne Abbey: 8am Holy Communion., 9.30am Parish Eucharist, 2.45pm Dorset Freemasons’ Carol Service, 4pm Christingle Service St James the Great, Longburton: 10am Family Communion St Martin of Tours, Lillington: 10am Holy Communion St Paul’s at the Gryphon: 10.30am Holy Communion St Mary Magdalene, Castleton: 11.15am Holy Communion Burton Bradstock: 8am Holy Communion Shipton Gorge: 9.30am Breakfast Church Swyre: 11am Holy Communion Puncknowle: 5pm Carol Service Litton Cheney: 9.30am Holy Communion Little Bredy: 11am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Symondsbury: 9.30am Celtic Worship St Saviour’s, Dottery: 10.30am Morning Worship St Michael & All Angels, Askerswell : 11am Benefice Eucharist Monday, December 12 Sherborne Abbey: 7.30pm Christmas Concert Thursday, December 15 Sherborne Abbey: 7pm A Quieter Christmas St Swithuns: 9.30 -11.00am Delivering Christmas Toys donated by the people of Bridport. The Surplus Food Stall and Christmas goodies in the car park. Friday, December 16 St Saviour’s, Dottery: 6.30pm Carol Service