Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is a quietly important day in the Church’s Year—an opportunity to humble ourselves appropriately before the Lord. For Jesus said, ‘those who humble themselves will be exalted, but those who exalt themselves will be humbled’ (Luke 18:14). So we will be marking it in two different ways.

Daytime: St Swithun’s, Martyr Worthy will be open throughout the day. The church will be laid out with a simple cross on the chancel steps and there will be some prayer cards available—offering people a selection of psalms, prayers or Bible passages that might help them in their silent prayers. I will be there at 12.30pm and those who want to join me in praying through the prayer card would be most welcome to do so.

Evening: In the evening our Holy Communion service will be at 7.00pm in St John’s, Itchen Abbas. This will be a quiet, reflective service, with some recorded music to help in a time of private meditation; there will also be the imposition of ashes for those who wish to receive this ministry.

Enjoying Luke’s Gospel in Lent

On Ash Wednesday and throughout Lent, our Gospel readings will be coming this year from the Gospel of Luke.

During the following five weeks there will be an opportunity to study together Luke’s five great chapters (Luke 19-23, one chapter each week) that tell the story of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem and his journey towards the crucifixion. Again, there will be a daytime and evening option for this:

Wednesdays (starting 12 March): from 12.30-1.30pm in St John’s, Itchen Abbas, over a cup of soup;

Thursdays (starting 13 March): from 7.45-8.45pm in the Rectory, over a cup of coffee or tea.

Do please consider joining us for one of these series: it will be a great opportunity to do some Bible Study together and to think in fresh ways about the often too-familiar story of Jesus.

May Lent 2025 be a time in which we each grow in our knowledge of Jesus and his love.

Revd Peter

ADCMs

It is the time of year when each church holds their ADCMs prior to the Parish APCM (Annual Parochial Church Meeting) which will this year be held on Friday 28 March details below.

Avington’s meeting will be held at 8pm on Thursday 6 March at The Old Rectory, Avington.

Martyr Worthy’s meeting will be held at 11am (after Valley Worship) on Sunday 9 March at St Swithun’s.

Easton’s meeting will be held at 11am (after Parish Communion) on Sunday 16 March at St Mary’s, Easton.

Itchen Abbas’s meeting details to be confirmed.

 An entirely NEW Electoral Roll

It is the time of year when our Electoral Roll is revisited in time for our APCM.  This year a new roll is required, which happens every five years, and this means that, rather than just renewing our existing list, everyone will need to complete a form to be included on the new Electoral Roll.  The notice period is 60 days and has begun. If you would like to be on the Itchen Valley Churches Electoral Roll, please download the form from this link, complete it and return it to the Parish Office by Thursday 13 March. This can also be scanned and returned by email to admin@itchenvalleychurches.org.  If you would like to a have a form in hardcopy, please let Beccy know.

This week’s readings can be downloaded here

for the global peace

for those who are ill or suffering at the moment or for those recently bereaved including John Lang and his family as they mourn the loss of Joanna

Revd. Canon Andrew Micklefield is being installed as Winchester Cathedral’s Canon Treasurer at Evensong at 5.30pm on Sunday 5 April at the cathedral.  He has asked us to say everyone is most welcome.