‘Loitering Within Lent’

Lent - an idea

Last year we at St John’s were encouraged to read the whole of St John’s Gospel and to think about certain words or phrases which ‘leaped out’ at us or which we thought were important.

That was last year. We had a quiet, reflective, prayerful Lent

This year I’m encouraging us at St John’s to ‘go into the wilderness’ and see what happens. I’m calling it ‘Loitering Within Lent’ 

(To loiter: Stand or wait around without apparent purpose) 

If you know your 1824 Vagrancy Act you will spot the pun. That Act made it an offence to ‘loiter with intent’ - by which was meant to stand or hang-about with the intention of committing an offence.

As Jesus went into an unknown place for 40 days and there he was challenged by the devil so let’s go into an unknown place and loiter and see where God is - where is the love, joy, kindness, truth in this place? If it’s not there, why? 

For my ‘Loitering within Lent’, I’m going to have a meal in places I haven’t been to on my own and just eat and watch and loiter and listen. And think ‘where is God here?’ I’m having a meal at McDonalds late at night, the hospital restaurant, a ‘posh’ restaurant as yet not decided - help needed here, I don’t know any, Glades cafe, and breakfast at the Penny Black. 

I’ve inviting you to go somewhere you’ve never been or at a time you haven’t been and loiter and think about ‘where is God here?’ You may be challenged as Jesus was. You might be pleasantly surprised. 

Want ideas? You could visit 5 different town centres and wander around without buying anything; you could have coffee in 5 different places. You could take a camera and take photos of places around Wolverley you haven’t been before. Spend time and think and watch and listen. 

If you want, you can send me what you’re doing and how it’s going and I’ll put them on this website. Write and tell me on the contact form on this website. Let's share with each other what will we find. 

Loitering within Lent for me is both scary and exciting.