Lent 2024 — Begins 14 February, Easter 31 March
As Lent (the Forty Days) approaches, we as followers of Christ are invited into a special time — a season of self-reflection, spiritual growth, and preparation for baptism. Lent is a deeply important season in the Christian tradition, symbolising Jesus’s forty days of fasting in the wilderness, and inviting us during these days to draw near to God through prayer, fasting, and acts of love toward ourselves and others.
We sincerely invite each member to enter deeper spiritual practice during this time. This is an opportunity not only for personal spiritual growth but also for the church to experience transformation together as a body.
An Invitation to Devotion
We encourage each member during these forty days to set aside daily time for devotion — perhaps the first moment after waking, or a quiet moment before sleep. Use that time to read Scripture, meditate on God’s Word, or pray. Through these still moments, we deepen our understanding of God’s Word and create space for our hearts to meet and converse with God.
Fasting and Love of Self and Neighbour
This is also a season for cultivating self-discipline through fasting — reminding us of our dependence on material needs and the importance of spiritual ones. Fasting need not be limited to food: it may be reducing social media use, restraining our speech, or letting go of certain comforts. At the same time, we encourage everyone to increase their support for charitable and altruistic causes — whether through giving or service — turning our fasting and prayer into concrete acts of love.
Preparing for Baptism
Lent is also an important time of preparation for the coming Easter and for receiving baptism. We particularly invite those who intend to be baptised in the days ahead to use this time to deepen their understanding of our faith, the church’s teachings, and the meaning of baptism.
Through these forty days, let us walk together on this spiritual journey — opening our hearts to God’s guidance.
(Image: 2023 baptism ceremony at BMCC, conducted by two trainee missionaries and a theology student.)
