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8 The Parish Magazine — February 2026 Please mention The Parish Magazine when responding to advertisementsAn independent day school for girls and boys aged 3 to 16.www.crosfields.com/eventsJunior Shinfield Open Road, Morning Reading, Berkshire, 06 RG2 May 9BL 2025“Many schools say they offer a ‘wholeschoolapproach’ but here it’s reallytrue. One school. One community.Teetering on the brink of glory.”GOOD SCHOOLS GUIDEAn independent day school for girls and boys aged 3 to 16.www.crosfields.com/eventsShinfield Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 9BLLocal, independent, family-runfuneral director supporting Sonning.• Top brand name flooring at the lowest price“EVERYONEat AB WalkerCaversham weretruly exceptional.They guided usthrough everythingwe needed to doand made the wholeprocess as stress freeas possible…”Excellent• Samples to view in your home/office day/evening• Free Advice / FreeQuotes• Old flooring uplifted & furniture moved• Fast turn around on fitting if required• Carpet, design and wood flooring specialistsWe supply and install: AmticoCarpets - Laminate - Wood - VinylNon-slip and more...Local branches in Cavershamand Henley-on-Thames.0118 947 7007www.abwalker.co.ukTel: 0118 958 044510 Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 8EQinfo@richfieldflooring.co.uk/www.richfieldflooring.eo.uk
PARisH NOTICEBOARD — 3The Parish Magazine — February 2026 9Ash Wednesday 18 February — Holy Saturday 2 AprilLENT 2026'A spoonful of 'strengthening medicine'Remember the Winnie the Pooh stories? And Kanga’s insistence onBaby Roo’s taking his Strengthening Medicine? It’s ‘really quite anice taste when you get used to it’, she explained, although I’m notconvinced Baby Roo always agreed, writes Rev Roy Shaw, a retired butactive priest in the diocese of York, where he is a spiritual director.It can be helpful to think of Lent asa sort of medicine; an opportunityto strengthen us in the things thatare good, rein in other facets of ourpersonality, and reset the compassto the true North of following Jesus— Spring-clean of the soul, if youlike.Baby Roo — and Piglet on theone occasion he was subject to it —found 'Strengthening Medicine' notto their liking, and we may groaninwardly at the thought of ‘giving upsomething for Lent’.Think of what lies behind this‘giving up’.It is so that we are strengthened,our character refined, our prejudicesexamined, our junk thrownoverboard, and we may come toPassiontide and Easter more fitto walk the way of the Cross, andrise in new life with Jesus at hisresurrection.CONSTRUCTIVENor is Lent just a case of givingup chocolate. One year I gave upFacebook for Lent, having spent fartoo much time scrolling through iteach day. It freed me to do other,more constructive things.And instead of giving up, whynot take up something you’vebeen meaning to do but never gotround to; something life-affirming,something good for God.Lent begins on Ash Wednesday,which this year falls on 18 February.Many Christians go public withtheir intention to keep a good Lentby being ‘ashed’ — the sign of theCross made on the forehead in amixture of ash and holy oil at aspecial service that day.The ash is usually the burntremains of the palm crosses fromlast year — if you would like toexperience this come along to anyof the Ash Wednesday services atSt Andrew's Church this year.Having been 'ashed', theintention of the 40 days of Lent is tomaintain a steady course closer toGod, symbolised by the giving up ofsomething — such as chocolate —which has a hold on us.And/or better still, make vow todo something spiritual extra everyday such as spending more time inprayer, or reading your Bible moreregularly.Lent reminds us that we walkwith Jesus on the way to the Cross,mindful of the ‘riches of God’skindness, forbearance and patience’‘I can resist everything but temptation’ (Oscar Wilde).Vetre Antanaviciute-meskauskiene, Dreamstime.comas St Paul has it, and mindful too ofJesus’ choice of the Cross as a way forus to enter those riches more fully.And it helps us to face theimmensity of that sacrifice, and theimmensity of God’s riches madeavailable to us in Jesus.We need all the 'StrengtheningMedicine' we can get!Some tempting thoughts . . .Temptation is a test of whether we do things our way or God’s way. After 40days of fasting Jesus was tired, hungry and vulnerable. Like him, the devil willattack us at our most venerable moments, especially when we are stressed.The first temptation was to turn stones into bread: Jesus’ ministry was notabout putting his own needs first, but being nourished by God’s word. ‘Wedo not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’(Deuteronomy 8:3). Like Jesus, we need to make God our priority and trust him.The second temptation was to put God to the test: Jumping off the templepinnacle would have been a dramatic way for Jesus to gain popularity, but thiswas not God’s way! ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ (Deuteronomy 6:16).We too need to learn this lesson!The third temptation was to worship Satan: The devil took Jesus up a mountainto offer him worldly power. In contrast, his calling as Messiah was to be markedby suffering and honouring God. ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only’(Deuteronomy 6:13). This is to be our experience of living for God.Jesus stands with us in our temptations. As we claim the promises of scripture,like him, we will find strength in the Spirit’s power and the victory of the cross.‘If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll bedepressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest!’ (Corrie Ten Boom).
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Page 33 and 34: HEALTH BY ANNE ELGETIStronger, heal
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