Are Christians allowed...?

In our worship during Lent the cross of Christ is never far away.

It's a time to know our need of forgiveness and to receive it. But this kind of reflection can be a problem if it leads us into a dry and less-than-human way of life. It throws up some practical questions about the way that we live - questions that other people sometimes want to ask if they're considering walking the walk of Christian faith.

So are there limits to how Christians should live, behave or think?

We're unafraid to ask these provocative and insightful questions in a series of sermons Are Christians allowed…?

26 February - Are Christians allowed to be successful?
4 March - Are Christians allowed to be self confident?
11 March - Are Christians allowed to be angry?
18 March - Are Christians allowed to be party people?
25 March - Are Christians allowed to doubt?

Soul in the City 2012 dates confirmed

We're delighted that church member Kristin Breuss will be Festival Director for this year's Soul in the City.

Kristin writes:

How apt that the plans for the St Mary's Soul in the City Festival were approved by the PCC following our three week sermon series on 'Jonah and the City'.  In the sermon series, we considered the way God calls us to complete his purposes and spread his love, sometimes by taking us out of our comfort zone in ways that surprise us.  Our role as Christians is not to stay within our four comfortable church walls.  We must go out into the world if we are to 'let his Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven'.

‘Soul in the City’ will do just that - from 5 to 10 June (also schools' half-term), St Mary's forecourt will become the heart of a local festival that includes free access to everything from opera to hip hop, local talent shows, community service, drama and music workshops, free bike servicing and a penalty shoot-out supported by Arsenal FC. It aims to be unashamedly Christian, about loving our neighbour and expecting nothing in return.  Check out this five minute You Tube clip to get a taste of last year's events.  Do keep this week free so you can engage fully in this year's festival!

How are you going to use Lent?

Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is traditionally a time of fasting and prayer, a chance to get closer to God. This year, why not be really creative and give yourself a truly blessed Lent. You might try one or more of these:

• Come to the Meals with Jesus meetings 
• Walk to church 
• Read a Christian book 
• Call someone for a chat every day 
• Visit at least one lonely person each week 
• Close your eyes for five minutes every day 
• Read one whole book of the Bible, twice 
• Give a special Lent gift to a charity or the church 
• Prayer-walk your neighbourhood 
• Find the holiest space you can 
• Discern your gifts 
• Learn a Psalm off by heart 
• Support a new charity 
• Drift off to sleep each night in thankful prayer 
• Smile at one person every time you take public transport 
• Shop locally 
• Worship in a church every Sunday in Lent 
• Find a new place to pray 
• Get to know your neighbours 
• Give something away 
• Come to Morning Prayer at St Mary's 
• Ask someone why they're a Christian 
• Write God a letter 
• Go to bed early five nights a week 
• Come to the Big Silence retreat 
• Spend less on a luxury 
• Buy five books for five people 
• Eat really well 
• Write six letters of encouragement 
• Come to the Good Friday procession and service 
• Send a dozen "thank you" notes 
• Check that you're paying all the tax you should 
• Seek someone's forgiveness 
• Befriend someone who's powerless

Ash Wednesday Services

Wednesday 22 February is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent.

Join us for worship:

9.30 - 10.00 Morning Prayer
12.45- 1.15 Lunchtime service with Holy Communion
7.30 - 8.30 Evening service with Holy Communion

Bring in the books

Peter Strickland has been supplying books to St Mary's for over twenty years. Every few months he loads his 4x4 and drives down from Lincolnshire to top up our bookstall, which is run by Barbara Quantrill.

I interviewed him about his work this morning.

Find out more about Olive Tree Church and Christian Resource Centre.

Poetry in the Crypt - 3 March 2012

Mike Bartholomew-Biggs has a great feature on Poetry in the Crypt on his website.

The next event will be on Saturday March 3rd at 7 pm, with guest readers Elizabeth Cook, Glyn Maxwell and Cheryl Moskowitz.

There will also be floor spots (sign-up on arrival - numbers may be limited) and free coffee, tea & cakes at the interval.

Admission is £4 - all proceeds go to the charity Hospice Care Kenya. For more information contact nmattson@sampo.plus.com

Meals with Jesus

From the forbidden fruit to the never-ending party in heaven, meals frame the whole Christian story. Many of the best-known stories about Jesus involve him eating with friends or strangers and several of his parables revolve around meals.
This Lent come along to Meals with Jesus to reflect on the person and teaching of Jesus more deeply. We’ll explore a different meal in the gospels each week, over some soup, bread & cheese. And as we share our insights, we’ll get to God – and each other – better.
29 Feb Extravagant Feasts
7 March Eating with Strangers
14 March Homecoming Banquet
21 March Meals that Change Lives
28 March A Meal to Change the World
4 April Meals to Restore
7.30-9pm in the Crypt.
For more information or to reserve a place email alexandra.lilley@stmaryislington.org or call 07585 949909.

Walk to church

Finding the alleys and shortcuts that are denied to drivers is one of the best things about urban walking. And Islington's streets are a kind of theatre of their own; there's always so much to see.

We love that most people walk to St Mary's - it's better for all of us and it means that our very limited parking can be used for those who need it most.

Enter a postcode into the Walkit.com widget and get detailed walking directions to St Mary's from your home or office. Choose between direct, less busy and low pollution routes. See how long it's going to take. You can even find out how many calories you've burned and how much CO2 you've saved.

Walk to church and you'll arrive for worship wide awake and full of energy. You might even meet a friend on the way!



We also welcome cyclists (we have a cycle park outside the church) and you can plan the best cycle journey to our door.

London has great public transport and it's really simple to plan your bus or tube journey to St Mary's.