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Ideas for Lent

St James in Auckland has tried a number of different programmes for Lent. Mervyn Aitken writes that they did these things in 2003.

1st Week - We asked our organists, who are manifold, bless em! to select a piece of music that expressed for them the spirit of the Easter Season. They duly practised it and we came along to listen. A fine time of reflection.

2nd Week -  We went to see a film -- the one last year was "Whale Rider" which was profoundly moving and was good for a discussion afterwards.

3rd Week - We brought along to St James novels, poems , plays and thoughts that were "Easter -themed". We then shared these amongst the group and were inspired in the process.

4th Week - We went to see "Stations of the Cross - contemporary icons to reflect on at Easter. " These were set up by the Cityside Baptist Church in Mt Eden. We wandered through and reflected.

There are lots of places in the city where groups of people can go to look at displays which have Easter content -- like the Museum or the Art Gallery.( It pays for the leader to go and have a look first in case people ask you "What has that got to do with Easter?")

All such occasions have to be lubricated with coffee or wine and can prove to be as Easter thought provoking as any service or study group.

It helps to live in the city, of course.

Mervyn Aitken - Minister of St James Church and Community