Yesterday, Wednesday 14th February, was the first day of Lent.  Services to mark Ash Wednesday were held throughout the Diocese, many of them incorporating the imposition of ashes for those who wished to receive them.

In Lent this this year, parishioners in Douglas Union with Frankfield are being encouraged to observe Lent by using the #LiveLent – Let your light shine programme. While it has been devised and promoted by the Church of England, it is applicable to our church context. The daily readings take the follower on a journey through the Gospel of John, offering a pause for reflection, a prayer and a challenge to act.

In addition, in Douglas Union with Frankfield, each week there will be an opportunity for people to come together to do the #LiveLent course. The parish clergy will host these meetings on Tuesday evenings and there will also be meetings on Friday mornings in the Canon Packham Hall. For those with smartphones, the daily reading and reflection is available by downloading the App for Android and iOS. E-mail and text signups are also available. Archdeacon Adrian Wilkinson says:

Our prayer is that these resources will help us individually and our parish community to walk the Lent journey and bring us all closer to Jesus, who offers abundant life to all who journey with him.

On 10^th March a Men’s Breakfast for the parish will be held in Bull McCabes Bar and Restaurant on Airport Hill at 9.00am. The guest speaker will be John Creedon from RTE. Admission is by ticket only and they are available through the parish at €12.50 each.

During the six Thursday evenings in Lent, Ballydehob Union, will be exploring the Healing stories in the Gospels. Each meeting will look at a different passage from the Scripture that invites all, choosing to live in a relationship with God, into the discipline of being transformed. Anyone, church goer or not, is welcome to attend.

A series of 5 meetings, led by the Reverend Walter Hill, will be held in parishioners houses around Fermoy Union on each of the Wednesdays in Lent.

Written by the Reverend Jack Kinkead, the Reverend Lesley Robinson, Mr Philip McKinley, Canon Paul Houston and Mr David Ritchie, the Bible Association of the Church of Ireland Lenten Studies will be followed on Wednesday evenings in the Parish Hall in Carrigaline Union. Based on the 5 Anglican Marks of Mission, this year’s theme is entitled “As the Father sent me, so I send you” (John:20.21). The five studies focus, in turn, on the TELL, TEACH, TEND, TRANSFORM,TREASURE aspects of mission, moving from the teaching and pastoral care required after initial conversion to the wider social and environmental challenges of the Gospel.

This Lenten study will also be used in Cloyne Union each Thursday evening at 8pm in Midleton Parish Hall beginning on 22^nd February.

A Bible Study course entitled ‘On the Third Day’ will take place each Wednesday evening beginning on the 28^th in Templebreedy Rectory at 7.30pm.

On the 2^nd March there will be a World Day of Prayer Service at 8pm in Sacred Heart Church, Minane Bridge. The theme is ‘All God’s Creation is Very Good’ and the service comes from the people of Surinam. There will also be a Service on this day in the Youghal Methodist Church at 7.30pm.

In St Brendan’s Church, Bantry, there is a Service of Wholeness and Healing each Wednesday morning during Lent at 11.30am.

On each Lenten Wednesday in Kinneigh Union there will be a meeting beginning at 8pm in St Paul’s Hall, Ballymoney following a course devised by Churches together in Britain and Ireland. Each evening will finish with Compline.

Lent Groups will be held on Wednesdays at 8.30pm in the Cathedral Hall, Rosscarbery and will be looking at some of the issues raised by the report produced at the end of the first phase of Charting a Future with Confidence.

A Lenten Recital Series will take place in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork which will feature the formal launch of a new recording of the Cathedral Organ entitled Grande Symphonie, performed by David Leigh, Assistant Organist of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. This takes place in the Cathedral on Thursday 22^nd February at 6.30pm during which Mr Leigh will give a recital featuring some of the pieces from the CD.

The full Lenten Recital Series programme is available on the Cathedral Website – Click Here

Sunday early Communion and mid-week Communion services in Kinsale Union will use the traditional (more penitential) form and after all Sunday Services in Lent there will be an opportunity to make a donation to Marymount Hospice as part of the Union’s Lenten Giving Plan. There is also a Plan for Reading the Gospel of Mark on each day of Lent for individuals to take/use as required.

St Anne’s, Shandon, will hold a Lent reflection evening in the Rectory on Tuesday 20th February at 7pm.

On Saturday 17^th February at 9.15am Kingdom Men Cork will be held at Carrigrohane Parish Centre. This men’s breakfast is about inspiring men to connect with God and live a life that proclaims and demonstrates God’s Kingdom to those around us. The Speaker will be the Reverend Kingsley Sutton and Worship will be lead by James Russell from Willowfield Church, Belfast.

Every Wednesday in Lent there will be a ‘Praise & Wonder’ event in Kilgarriffe Church at 8:30pm. The evenings will have extended times of praise and prayer with a thought for the day. It will have a Service of the Word structure.

Abbeystrewry Church will host the Diocesan Music Scheme on Saturday 24^th March. Singers from around West Cork and the wider Diocese will come together to practice and perform The Crucifixion by Stainer. During the season of Lent there will be a series of Christian Meditations on Wednesday evenings at 8.30pm in St Mary’s Hall, Caheragh. This will be a time of reflection and silent prayer where there will also be an introduction to the ancient Christian Art of Meditation.