Ella_Jay

I am not into the great Lent "Do without", the ashes, the sackcloth, or praying at the Stations of the Cross et. But my time in a High Church Anglican congregation and the impressive symbolism has left its mark. Advent and Lent are seen traditionally as times of spiritual journeying. And this is my journey and my processing. I do a lot of reflective art pieces for my church but usually during the Lent period I go into hyperdrive. The pieces stay on the walls until Easter and then I replace them with other pieces. The church is happy with the arrangement. It stirs discussion and sometimes brings a fresh perspective for someone. Ironically my church does not acknowledge Lent in any way and would probably be horrified if they worked out there is a link between this highly productive time and Lent. But frankly, for me it works.

Hi, I stumbled on your site recently. I have found the posts thought-provoking and I like the tolerance for various interpretations and Christian spiritual walks. So I am looking forward to reading and relating. I have a mixed church experience: seven years as a Pentecostal, then after a traumatic event, eight years as an Anglican (very enriching but tainted by local organizational problems). I now attend a local mainstream semi-charismatic church. I love the contemporary music, creativity, compassion in action, but struggle with aspects of the rigid theology and constraints on debate ("Stick to the party line"). This often duels with my background in biology and psychology. But I am glad I haven't left because the new generations of university graduates are now questioning the status quo. Thanks for setting up this web page. It is great to have the freedom to explore contemporary issues and to use the brains God has gifted us. Ella Jay