Laurie Guy writes...
TO LENT OR NOT TO LENT - THAT IS THE QUESTION
I'm not much into following church calendars and stuff. However, the pastor at my church encouraged us to give up something for Lent; so I thought I'd give it a go rather than be a wet blanket.
By the way, if you've never heard of Lent, its roots lie in early church practice. It was tied in somehow with the forty-day fast of Jesus, but in early church practice the forty-day Lent then got linked with Easter. At one stage candidates for baptism were under instruction for forty days and fasting was part of the baptismal preparation. Then they were all baptised at Easter (the one and only day of the year when baptisms took place around 400A.D.). Forty days is a long time to go without food. How did they do it? The answer is that they didn't. They had a partial fast; only one meal a day, and no meat for forty days.
Fast forward to today. Lots of Christians, especially Anglicans and Catholics, observe Lent by abstaining from something as a matter of spiritual discipline and to help focus towards Easter - maybe chocolates or afternoon tea. In my case I decided to drink water and nothing else for that time period.
So how has it gone? Occasionally, I could kick myself for signing up to it - that was when the special ginger-beer came out at the Carey staff retreat and when the sparkling grape-juice was on the table at the PL debrief dinner.
Another reaction has been to reflect a lot on our consumerist, materialist society. It parallels my thoughts when I go tramping. Feeling like a snail with everything I need on my back, I ask the question, 'So why do I have so much stuff back at home? Do I really need to drink anything other than water?'
The Lenten practice does make me think a bit more about Easter and the death of Jesus. I suspect that that was one reason why the practice of Lent started. Back then 90% of the church people were illiterate. So how do you teach illiterate people the basics of the Christian message? One way was through practices like Lent. At the least it would be telling its practitioners that the death of Jesus is central to Christianity.
I confess to having back-slidden twice in regard to my Lenten promise. Once was at communion time at church. The other was in order to socialise with my tennis mates after tennis (I figured that drinking water only would not be helpful in that context and that as a Christian I should persist in relating to wider society rather than slinking away from it).
Lent has brought me no great epiphany or baptism in the Spirit. It has rather been just another arrow to put into my spiritual quiver. If my church encourages the practice again next year will I take part? Yes, if only because it gets me thinking a bit more about Easter. 'I handed on to you as of first importance . . . that Christ died for our sins' (1 Cor 15.3).
CommunitySURVIVING CAREY STUDY
Led by Laurie Guy, these sessions include topics like how to read an academic book, how to manage your studies, how to prepare for an assignment, how to write an essay etc.
Tuesday 18 March at 9am in the chapel Wednesday 19 March at 1:45pm in the chapel.
Do come if you think the topics could be of help to you.
EASTER ART AND REFELCTIONS
An unique opportunity to reflect through art and contemporary media on the events in the life of Jesus as recorded in the gospel accounts of Easter week with Birkenhead Community Church. Details at reception and coffee-table books available from Myk Habets.
Cityside Baptist Church's "The Desert Files" art exhibition opens on Wednesday night. Desert Files has been a process during Lent where online resources and guides have helped people in their Lenten meditations on the last seven sayings of Christ, as well as encouraging the creation of art during this period. exhibition displays some of the creative products resulting from this Lenten process (a Carey staff member will have a piece in the exhibition). to the public and free, hours are Wednesday, 6pm - 10pm (7 -8.30 artists talk about their work); Thursday, 6pm - midnight; Friday midday to midnight; Saturday 10am - 6pm.
COLLEGE CLOSED
PLEASE NOTE...Carey will be closed (including the library) on Tuesday 25 March - immediately following the Easter break. Classes resume as normal on Wednesday 26 March.
@THE LIBRARY
Easter Break - The library will close at 6.30pm on Thursday 20th March and will reopen at 8.30am on Wednesday 26th March.
VISIT BY DR. NEVILLE CALLAM
On Monday 31 March the General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance, Dr. Neville Callam, will be on site. He will be meeting with a number of people but is also keen to spend some time interacting with students.
1:05 - 1:45pm in the chapel.
EASTER CAMPS
There are a number of youth related camps taking place around the country this weekend and many Carey students and staff will be involved in leading youth groups and the running of these camps. Please pray for them and that these camps will be a positive for those that go.
GRADUATION
Saturay 29 March 2008
4:00-5:30pm
Liberty Christian Church
96 Lansford Cres, Avondale, Auckland
Guest speaker: Derek Christensen
Everyone is welcome...come and support those students who have completed qualifications and will be receiving their awards.
HELPERS NEEDED
If you are available to help at Graduation please see Rachel this week...we need hands for Ushering (2); Laying out food (1-2); Serving food (4-6); Creche (1)
"You have a Prior Appointment"
Visit 'Stations of the Cross' from 12:30-1:30pm in the chapel Monday 17 March.
DIY DAY
Tuesday 1 April; 9:30am- 1:00pm
Don't miss our annual 'Team-Up Scrub Up' around the campus next week. If you can paint, plant, build, clean or breathe ... we need you. Make a difference, or only make a mess, but wear clothes to work in, have a few laughs and make some more friends at Carey. This takes place instead of the usual Formation Tuesday.
9:30am Morning tea in Dining Room
10:00am DIY team projects around Carey
12 noon BBQ lunch
If you are keen to help outside in the garden, please bring whatever gardening gear you have at home - loopers, rakes, hedge clippers, trowels, gardening gloves. See you there!
CALLING ALL FIRST YEARS - HOW'S IT GOING SO FAR??
If you're new to Carey study there may be a few things that you're not quite sure about. Wouldn't it be great if you knew one of these vastly experienced second or third years well enough to ask for a bit of help? Well, the good news is that some of them are willing to be put in touch so that you can do just that. If you would like to be linked up with one of these wonderful people, contact me (george@carey.ac.nz; 9 526 6593; or if you're on-site leave a note on my door). Tell me: your name - contact details - what you're studying this semester. First come first served. P.S. We still need more people willing to be buddies - love to hear from you too!