Wednesday, 25 February 2009

Laments for Lent - Ash Wednesday

This art is by Rachel Hollingsworth from Wythenshawe.
Interested to see more of her work with others from Wythenshawe - mark Fri. 3rd April 7pm in your diary to come to launch 'Picturing Jesus: work by people from Wythenshawe' at St. Marks United Reformed Church & Tree of Life Centre.
There work features a variety of media including paint, chalk, pastels, photography and more. Each artist is free to show any of their work and invited to offer one piece on the theme 'Picturing Jesus in Wythenshawe'.

The lament for me came several times today, Ash Wednesday, as I heard people 'confess' how the church had damaged them or others - through experiences of child abuse, violence, hurtful gossip and lack of support. As we marked ash crosses on our foreheads over 3 short services we talked about experiences of ours or those we know who are suffering and struggling in relation to these things. We also held these experiences alongside people in the UK losing their homes in debt and people overseas struggling to survive famine and hunger in Zimbabwe and violence in Sri Lanka. We read Psalm 51 aloud and lamented with broken hearts - unmasked and real before each other in the presence of God - and then we went home and I found this invitation from an organisation called V-Day calling people to respond to girls and women in Congo.
Click on it and give your voice in lament and support this Lent http://congowall.ning.com/

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