Ash Wednesday: We begin our Lenten Journey

St Lawrence’s gathered together this afternoon together with some of the people of our parish and Father Jonathan to mark the beginning of Lent with a special Celebration of the Word. During the service Father Jonathan invited us to think about things that we might give up for Lent that we will try to never do again – such as being unkind or leaving people to be lonely. Father then distributed ashes by sprinkling them on the top of our heads, as Pope Francis has asked people to do this year; this chimed with today’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew, which reminded us to pray humbly.