This Lent we are all invited to explore how we can live well with the mess of everyday life. 

Dust and Glory encourages us to take a fresh look at the frustrations and failings that every day brings and, rather than pretending we can always avoid them, seek to learn from them and grow closer to God through them.  There is a daily Bible reading, a short reflection and a practical challenge, as well as a prayer linked to the week’s theme. Co-written by Bishop Emma Ineson and Abbie Martin, the booklet is designed to be used either in parallel with the Lent Book or independently.  An accompanying children’s version is also available to help children and their families explore how we can live well together, offering a simple daily activity designed to explore the weekly themes.  For more information please visit here.

Bishop's Lent Appeal 2023

Every year in Lent, Bishop Martin and Bishop Mike encourage us to reflect as well as to give.

This year the Bishop's Lent Appeal will be raising money for our link Diocese of Kagera in Tanzania. Throughout Lent you will be able to learn more about life in Kagera, to pray and to raise funds.  Please click HERE for all the information you need, including fundraising ideas and how to donate.

The Archbishops Big Church Red for Lent 2023

'Failure' The Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book 2023 - This Lent journey with Emma Ineson through her wonderfully humorous and encouraging book as Emma explores whether sin is an individual or corporate thing. Looking at the church, we consider, what is God’s purpose for it. And in light of key concerns such as safeguarding and racial justice, how might we re-examine concepts of success and recognize and measure failure? As the book draws to an end, we are reminded of our calling to live life to the full, to take risks despite our fears. We are bound sometimes to fail! Yet gazing at Jesus – who looked like the greatest failure of all – we may discern in the heartache, vulnerability, and humility of failure, the glory of the cross. Click Here to find out more.

'Godforsaken' by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell - In the Gospel of Mark’s account of the Passion narrative, Jesus calls out from the cross ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ – the first line of Psalm 22. It’s an anguished expression – traditionally ascribed to King David – of defeat, failure, abandonment and despair. Join the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, as he ponders the significance of these words. What does it mean for Jesus to have quoted them, at the very end of his life? What do those words mean for us? This is a beautiful and compelling exploration of the dark, suffering side of the Passion – and how Jesus’ words lead us to the greatest hope of all.  Click Here to find out more.

Living Faith Series

Events and courses

Living your life with God

Starting 28 February 2023, 7.00pm - 8.30pm
Zoom Lent course

Brother Lawrence wrote about how he lived his Christian life in the 1600s and his very slim work "Practicing the Presence of God" has been massively popular ever since.  Through Lent, Bishop Mike (and an occasional guest!) will be offering five Zoom sessions looking at how his insights can be applied in everyday life, with plenty of room for discussion on the way. For more details and to book your place please click here.

Cathedral Lent Series: 'Fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God: Challenging perceptions to empower change'

Wednesday evenings in Lent (Wednesday 1 March to 29 March) 7.00pm - 8.00pm
On Zoom, everyone welcome
 
St Edmundsbury Cathedral’s Lent series will host a series of speakers looking at the theme 'Fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God: Challenging perceptions to empower change'. The interesting line-up of speakers are all people who know something about what it means to be part of the Church where misguided perception, unconscious bias or prejudice has undermined their place in the family of God. Our speakers will talk about how perceptions of sexuality, race, disability and social class have called people to question, ‘Am I really welcome here?'. These will be rich, open and theological discussions about how we can challenge perceptions to empower change.

The series starts on Wednesday 1 March with The Revd Dr Charlie Bell, curate of St John the Divine, Kennington and author of Queer Holiness (May 2022). He is also an academic psychiatrist at King’s College London and the Maudsley, as well as being the John Marks Fellow, College Lecturer and Director of Studies in Medicine at Girton College, Cambridge.

Everyone welcome!  Join us, on Zoom, for more information and for the Zoom link please email Canon Michael Robinson - michael.robinson@cofesuffolk.org You can find out more about these sessions, plus all Lent services here.

Journeys - Lent course offered by The Clewer Initiative

The Clewer Initiative is producing a new resource for Lent 2023 which will be available to download from their website in early January.  Journeys will be based on the 'Stations of the Cross' and through five mini films and an accompanying devotional resource, it will take churches and individuals on a journey, challenging them to take action against modern slavery and not be a bystander. It can be used in in-person small groups, individual study or online. The films will include interviews with church members, experts and community leaders who have done significant anti-slavery work. They will highlight the journeys that they have been on to deliver their work.  Sign up here.

Holy Week at St Edmundsbury Cathedral

A full schedule of services and events for Holy Week can be downloaded here.

Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, 2 April, and the 10.30 am Eucharist will include the Palm Sunday Procession and Reading of the Passion of Christ. At 5.00 pm, the Façade Ensemble will give a reflective concert Jesus’ Blood: Hymns and Variations for Holy Week where they will celebrate the 80th birthday of composer Gavin Bryars with a rare opportunity to hear his immense work, Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet. Find out more here.

 From Monday 3 April through to Wednesday 5 April, the service of Compline (Night Prayer) takes place at 7.00 pm, in addition to our usual morning and evening services.

On Maundy Thursday, 6 April, we will have a Chrism Eucharist at 11.00 am, where Holy Oils for use in churches across Suffolk for the year ahead, are consecrated, and those in licensed ministry are invited to renew their ordination or commissioning promises. This service will be followed by refreshments.

Later in the day, The Mass of the Last Supper takes place at 7.00 pm commemorating the Last Supper of Jesus and the invitation ‘to love one another’. Maundy Thursday begins the Easter Triduum – the three days when Christians everywhere journey through the Passion, Crucifixion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus.

Good Friday, 7 April, begins with the 10.30 am Churches Together Walk of Witness, starting with a service in the Cathedral. The Good Friday Meditation starts at 12.00 pm and is followed by the Good Friday Liturgy at 2.00 pm. This will include the traditional Veneration of the Cross and singing of the Passion. We offer at Good Friday Children’s Service at 4.00 pm and encourage families to join us for a particularly child-friendly service, which tells the whole Easter story.

On Saturday 8 April, there will be Easter Vigil and Confirmation Service at 5.30 pm. Holy Week then concludes with our Easter Day services on Sunday 9 April. There will be the usual 8.00 am Holy Communion and 9.00 am All-Ages Eucharist will be followed by a 10.30 am Festal Sung Eucharist. Choral Evensong will be at 3.30 pm.

Further information

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