Sharing together in Lent
Almost 100 people from the town churches are sharing their faith and experience together at the ecumenical Lent groups taking place in March and April. Eight groups, co-ordinated by Churches Together in Harborough (CTH), are meeting in homes and church halls, and all are discussing the audio-based York Course “Daring to see God now”.
Also under the auspices of CTH, about 85 people attended the first of the five joint churches’ Lent lunchtime services in early March. They enjoyed a brief time of worship and a short biblical reflection before sharing a soup and cake lunch in the Congregational Church. The services take place there every Friday at 12.30 in Lent.
However, the March meeting of the Churches Together in Harborough Forum heard that the attendance at the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity lunchtime prayer meetings in January averaged no more than a dozen. Members of the Forum suggested that in future years some evening or Saturday prayer events might be appropriate to cater for working people and those with families. The annual united service held this year at the Baptist Church was well supported and appreciated, however.
The Forum, which meets five times a year, also heard reports about projects associated with the churches. The area-wide Plastics Pledge has received welcome support from Harborough District Council, and the Bower House reported that its waiting list of six weeks for people seeking help and support from its volunteers is far less than for most statutory agencies.
The next major CTH event is the united Good Friday (19 April) service in the Square at 11.00 am. It is intended to last about 40 minutes and include inter-active elements.
