2. Ash Wednesday 10 th February Next Wednesday, we begin our 40 day Lenten journey towards Easter, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent Watch the video Below as a reminder of why this is such an Important time for us https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIRWZldyIFs

3. Scripture reading: Joel 2:12-13 Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. The word of the Lord.

4. In this reading, God calls us to return to him with sorrow for the ways we have failed to act as we ought to have done. And God is always merciful and ready to welcome us back to him, Joel says “rend your hearts and not your clothing”. In other words, it’s not about how you look on the outside; it’s all about what your heart is doing inside. God is about love and wants us to have hearts that do the same because we have experienced God’s mercy.

5. As we start to think about setting out on Lenten journey, it’s a good time to reflect on our lives and to think about changes we need to make and our hopes and dreams for the future Watch the video below and listen to the refugee children talk about their journey and their hopes for the future http://cafod.org.uk/Education/Secondary-schools

6. On a piece of paper, write down your response to the questions below 1.Something you want to change about yourself this Lent 2. A hope that you have for the world 3.A dream that you have for yourself for the future Share your answers with the person next to you

7. God watch over us in the Coming days of Lent, we pray. As we think of others, teach us to be selfless in our acts of charity and fasting. Help us to be enriched Through our prayer and our giving this Lent. Amen.