Lent at St Barnabas 2024

What is Lent? 

Lent is the forty-day season of preparing and fasting for the great joy of Jesus’ resurrection at Easter. It is a time of self-reflection, simplifying our lifestyle and praying for spiritual enrichment.

Services and Events in Lent

13 February | Shrove Tuesday 4.30pm – The Big Feast before Fasting  

Join us for this family-friendly evening full of delicious pancakes and fun games! Cost is £3 for adults, £2 for children, or £10 for families. Please pay at the door. If you can offer any help, please contact Sue on 07591722171 or sue.hudson1@sky.com.

14 February | Ash Wednesday 

Worship on this day helps us to officially mark the beginning of Lent. Most especially we pray to embrace more deeply God’s mercy, recognising our limitations and sins by receiving a cross of ash on our foreheads. 

• 12.30pm | Celtic Mass with Ashing | Church 
• 7pm | Sung High Mass with Imposition of Ashes | Church

If you can, bring last year's palm crosses with you to church on 11 February to make the ashes.

Wednesday Celtic Mass During Lent 

• 12.30pm | Our usual midweek Celtic Mass will continue to meet.

Sundays in Lent | Contemplative Prayer 

• 9.30–10am in the Lady Chapel | Half an hour of stillness and silence before High Mass each Sunday in Lent.

Sunday Services During Lent

• 10.30am | Every first Sunday of the month is dedicated to an all ages First Sunday Gospel Mass. Children and families are encouraged to join together in the worship. The remaining Sundays of the month we will continue to have our usual Sung High Mass with a rotation of engaging speakers each week.

10 March | Mothering Sunday

• 10.30am | We give thanks to for the mothering mercy of God through the church and for mothers of all kinds. This Sunday is also known as ‘respite Sunday’ and marks the halfway point of our Lenten journey. On this day we take a break from our Lenten fasting. 

Going Deeper | Lenten Lending Library

A selection of devotional books are available at the back of church for you to borrow and enjoy as you journey with God through this season.

Wild Animals and Angels

The Chaplaincy at King’s has put together a Lent book with a daily reflection based on Mark’s Gospel and some of the Psalms. These have been written by clergy, members of staff, students and even the occasional bishop! You can view the booklet here.

Lent Boxes

One of the disciplines of Lent is the giving of alms (donations) to worthy causes. We have a long tradition of using lent boxes at St Barnabas. All donations go to our two sponsored charities, West London Citizens and Women’s English Classes at Southall.

Simply register your box at the back of church, place it in a prominent place in your home and use it to collect small donations over the season. There are lots of opportunities for creativity here:

• collect money for something you’ve given up for Lent (like coffees or chocolates)
• see it as a ‘gratitude box’ giving thanks for someone or something every time you make a donation 
• kids may like to say a short prayer for friend or family member as they drop in spare change

Further details of Holy Week to follow.