How will you and your community be preparing yourselves to celebrate Easter during Lent this year? One way to do this is through fasting. Here are some ways we’ll be doing that at The Belfrey.

Lent is a time of fasting in the Christian church, as we prepare our hearts to celebrate Jesus dying and rising again at Easter, and in reflection of the way He fasted for the same period of 40 days (Matthew 4:2). The fast traditionally starts on Ash Wednesday - the 2nd of March this year - and you might already be considering something to give up for Lent.

If you've never fasted before then how about doing it for the first time this year, and join in with your community at The Belfrey? Lent fasts can include things like giving up meat, chocolate or wine, or even something that distracts you like social media or TV. Some people find it helpful to fast one meal a day, or for one day each week.

Another way we can respond and prepare ourselves during Lent is by picking up a specific discipline to help us reflect, like reading the Bible in 40 days, or going through a devotional (there are some great online ones by The Bible Society and Tearfund, among others).

To help encourage us all to use this season meaningfully, here at The Belfrey we invite you to join a church-wide fast on Wednesday 9th March, before our Worship & Prayer Night at 7.30pm that evening. Think and pray about what would be safe for you to fast - it could be one meal in the day, fasting between daylight hours, or even giving up a treat you particularly enjoy (chocolate is one example!). Share yours with a trusted friend or someone in your Belfrey Group so they can encourage you. You might even consider continuing this Wednesday fast throughout the whole of Lent…

Photo by Yannick Pulver on Unsplash