Contact Details:

Springwell Road 

Springwell Village 

Gateshead 

Tyne & Wear 

NE9 7RY 

Tel:

Lent 2023

Ash Wednesday, this year on 22 February, marks the beginning of Lent  - the 40 day period (excluding Sundays) which leads up to Easter. Sundays are excluded as they are always considered a day of celebration.

In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism. Now it is still an important time in the Christian calendar when many Christians prepare for Easter with a period which includes self-examination, reflection and maybe fasting or self-denial (often giving up something like chocolate or social networks!) but can also be the giving of what is precious to most people - time. Time to volunteer to do something, to make a phone call or visit to someone ill or lonely - just the giving of self for others.

The forty days represent the time Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and praying in solitude while enduring the temptations of Satan.