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Parish Link [ParishLink] community newsletter serving Kensworth, Studham and Whipsnade, in South Bedfordshire, UK
Dear friends and parishioners,
Sometimes our language plays tricks on us – it might seem as though one thing can
only ever mean one thing, but circumstances often change how we interpret a certain
word or phrase. Take for example the words “time out” or “retreat”. Hearing that
someone is going on retreat can conjure up a picture in our mind of an escape from
the busyness and stress of everyday life... an escape to a kind of holy quiet-
Rev. Nicola Lenthall
Telephone 872 223
Lent, which begins in February, is often seen as a point in the Church’s year when people take time out to think about their faith. At the very beginning of Lent we remember the time that Jesus spent in the desert, before he began his ministry. But the nature of Jesus’ wilderness experience challenges us to question and revisit the understanding of “retreat” as a backing off. The time Jesus spent away from the bustle of Galilean life was far from quiet and serene. It was a period of challenge and temptation, of becoming more aware of God’s will, of refocusing on what is important.
We often make the mistake of dividing lives of faith or spirituality from our everyday
lives, as though they were separate. But people who are truly God-
With every blessing for any time out you might have, this Lent and always,
Nicola Lenthall
Rector
