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When They Crucified my Lord

Feb 8, 2023 | 2023 - Lent, Book Reviews

When They Crucified my Lord

Author Brother Ramon
Publisher BRF £14.99
Format hbk
ISBN 9781800390898

This is an inviting text with a good balance of simplicity and depth. It is a republication of a classic Lenten devotional by an Anglican Franciscan friar and draws on his experiences, often of getting alongside others at their point of need. It is not outdated; lived examples are accessible and relevant to our everyday discipleship.

The focus is Holy Week and the crucifixion, but the reflections are much broader. The first days from Ash Wednesday bring context and challenge looking at the different players and groups engaged in some of the events of Holy Week. The next four weeks use the perspectives of John, Peter, Judas and Mary in turn, attending to passages of scripture in which they are involved from throughout the gospels. In Lent 5 there is a specific focus on the acts of faith shown by different people around the cross. At the culmination, through Holy Week, the author looks at the seven words of Jesus from the cross.

Each daily devotion leads with a passage of scripture which is followed by a personal narrative connecting us to emotions and insights related to the events chosen. The narrative is reflective and questioning, challenging us to ask where we are in our openness to God, serving him and receiving from him. Each day’s reading closes with a prayer and reflection.

There are several ways to use this book. The author recommends setting aside up to an hour each day for the devotion and to take time letting the words of scripture speak to us. I support this and believe that the book will aid rich listening and meditation. However it will also work for those with less time available. It is an easy read and nudges, challenges and provides insights, even with a lighter approach. The book also includes some tips for use as a group.

Reviewed by LINDSAY TANNER

 

Lent and Holy Week

 

Messy Easter

Feb 8, 2023 | 2023 - Lent, Book Reviews

Messy Easter

Author Jane Leadbetter
Publisher BRF £8.99 (new edition)
Format pbk
ISBN 9781800391703

If you don’t already do ‘Messy Church’, read the Page 1 summary of it is about. It is succinct and persuasive. If you do already do Messy Church, this re-issue of Messy Easter will add to the collection of resource books you probably have for planning your sessions. The ideas are arranged for the Messy Church elements: Bible-related crafts and activities; gathering for celebration and story; meal with conversation; and take-home suggestions. As the introduction says, this is a ‘pick n’ mix’ collection: you choose. You decide what will engage the interest of a very diverse potential group, and what might enable all to engage with Jesus in the Easter sequence of events. Would they be engaged by a version of Man the Lifeboats with Easter commands, or a Palm Sunday food activity making palm trees out of fruit? Would a simple Kim’s game version with objects to remember relating to the Easter story provoke reflection on the world-changing Easter events? The ideas for meal conversation prompt cards are particularly good: ‘Have you ever been tempted and found it hard to resist?’ or ‘Where is your favourite praying place?’. Also not to be neglected are the take-home ideas – encountering Jesus extends so much beyond any session in church.

Reviewed by ROSIE MEDHURST

 

Messy Church for Holy Week/Easter

 

A Place for Us

Feb 8, 2023 | 2023 - Lent, Book Reviews

A Place for Us
A Lent Course
based on West Side Story

Author Lavinia Byrne & Jane McBride
Publisher DLT £6.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781915412171

There has been a trend to make Lent courses connect with a film in the last decade or so. This book looks at belonging, otherness and difference, the gift of love, the promise of a place for us and the tragedy of betrayal – all of these themes that are in the classic Sondheim/Bernstein/Laurens musical, West Side Story. The book includes a suggested scene to see from the new Spielberg film version and then leads the reader to a warm up, which sets the scene for the study. Then it includes prayers, a meditation written by Lavinia Byrne, a scripture reading, another reflection, group discussion material as well as a poem by Phil Lane for each topic.

Does it cohere? There does seem to be a problem with not necessarily all the parts meeting. However, there is so much material here that the book is worth having as a way to show that a Lent course can be constructed using film, showing the technique that could be used in a different context. The poems by Phil Lane and many of the questions used for group discussions can be used in other contexts. This is a satisfying resource which is worth its price.

Reviewed by CAVAN WOOD

 

Lent Course

 

Dust + Glory

Feb 8, 2023 | 2023 - Lent, Book Reviews

Dust + Glory
A Lent Journey of faith, failure and forgiveness

Author Emma Ineson
Publisher CHP
Single copy – £1.99   Pack of 10 – £17.50    Pack of 50 – £75.00
Format pbk
ISBN 9781781404003

 

 

 

 

Dust + Glory
A Lent Journey for Children

Author Anon
Publisher CHP
Single copy – £1.50    Pack of 10 – £12.50    Pack of 50 – £55.00
Format pbk
ISBN 9781781404072

 

 

 

 

These two attractive pocket-sized booklets are the Church pf England’s thematic offering for a thoughtful and productive Lent. Many churches will wish to consider investing in bulk copies for their congregations, so that whole communities can focus similar prayers on the same day. The overall theme is human weakness or, as the Archbishops put it in their introduction, ‘how we can live well within the mess of everyday life ’ – striving to understand our frustrations and failings, learning from them and thereby growing closer to God.

The adult booklet is a much abbreviated version of Bishop Emma Ineson’s book, Failure – the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book. It contains 40 daily reflections, grouped around weekly themes, including failure, sin and ultimately the saving actions of Jesus during Holy Week. Each reflection and prayer will only take a few moments to absorb, but hopefully they will provoke conversations and meditations at other times during each day.

I found the children’s booklet, which is based on appropriate activities rather than reflections, somewhat less convincing and even slightly old-fashioned. For example, the children are asked to ‘Make or draw a simple cross’, ‘Read or listen to Psalm 23’, ‘Read or listen to the story of Jonah.’ Judging by my grandchildren, they will probably ask Alexa to do some of these. But full marks to the Church of England for trying hard and not forgetting that children also need to experience the rhythms and the spirituality of the Lenten season.

Reviewed by ELIZABETH HOGG

 

Lent activities

 

Reflections for Lent: 22 February – 8 April 2023

Feb 8, 2023 | 2023 - Lent, Book Reviews

Reflections for Lent: 22 February – 8 April 2023

Author Kate Bruce et al.
Publisher CHP £4.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781781403044

As the daylight hours gradually increase I look forward to rising once again in the light. My morning routine, after fortifying tea, is to say the office of Morning Prayer from Common Worship – usually alone, apart from my sleepy cat, Prudence. It is a good discipline, a calm beginning for each day, taking me through the psalms, the lectionary Old and New Testament readings, the much-loved Benedictus and prayers for the church and the world. God always seems close to me around the dawn of a new day.

During Lent, I always feel the need for something extra and this slim little volume will provide it: a simple but profound series of written reflections on one of the daily readings (usually the New Testament). It is the Lenten extract from Reflections for Daily Prayer, which gives material for every day of the year, except Sundays. Some of the best writers in the Church of England have contributed and Lent authors include Kate Bruce (an RAF chaplain), Mark Oakley, Graham James and Paula Gooder – who provides the reflections for Holy Week. The quality of their insights uplifts me and their thoughts usually stay with me through the day. These are words I can trust. It is practical as well as spiritual, for I sometimes purloin their ideas for future sermons. There is useful additional material from our church leaders: Archbishop Stephen Cottrell writes on Lectio Divina, Bishop Rachel Treweeke on ‘Building Daily Prayer into daily life’; and Mark Oakley has an introduction to the season of Lent.

There is often so much good written material produced for Lent that it is hard to choose a book for the season. But if you want just one thing extra to make Lent memorable and to draw you closer to God, then this is a little gem which will sustain your prayer life. I recommend it.

Reviewed by ELIZABETH STEPHENSON

 

Reflections for Morning Prayer

 

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