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The Walesby Group of Parishes.

The Walesby Group is now fortunate to be able to call upon the resources of three clergy licensed to their churches, supported by a wide team of lay and retired ministers.  In addition to her role as Vicar for the Market Rasen Group, Revd Claire Burnett is Priest in Charge for the parishes of Brookenby, Claxby, Croxby, Kirmond le Mire, Normanby le Wold, North Willingham, Stainton le Vale, Thoresway and Walesby.  Revd Bryan Dixon, Rector for the Middle Rasen Group, is Priest in Charge for the parish of Tealby and the Barkwith Group of parishes.
(For specific parish enquiries, please see the contact details on the website A Church Near You)

email Revd Claire

email Revd Bryan



Diary Dates for February



Tuesday 4th February: 3pm - Reflective Service of Holy Communion (Iona)
at Claxby Village Hall (refreshments from 2:30pm)

Wednesday 5th February: 2pm - Funeral of Dorothy Lusby at St Mary's, Walesby

Thursday 6th February: 2pm - Walesby PCC meeting

Saturday 15th February: 10am to 2pm - Kirmond Snow Drop-In at
St Martin's, Kirmond le Mire

Saturday 15th February: 10am to 3:30pm - Community and Festival Church
gathering at Middle Rasen Church Hall

Saturday 22nd February: 10am to 1pm - ALM Training Modules (Part 2)
in Gainsborough

Our 'Thought' introduces 'Ordinary Time' - 9th February 2025, Fourth Sunday Before Lent

There are a wide range of theological opinions within the church, this article reflects the views of the author


'Welcome to Ordinary Time!'

You might think that the term ‘Ordinary Time’ sounds a bit like a ‘boring time’ but, that is most definitely not the case. The word ‘Ordinary’ comes from ‘ordinal’ numbers - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc. - and places each Sunday within the Church Year, which essentially revolves around two cycles:

1. the Christmas cycle - comprising Advent, Christmas and Epiphany

2. the Easter cycle – comprising Lent, Holy Week, Easter and Pentecost

Because the date of Easter changes, the Second Vatican Council decided to re-organise the Sunday lectionary by introducing Ordinary Time. This covers the two periods of the liturgical year that effectively join together the Christmas and Easter cycles. They usually have the qualifiers ‘Before Lent’ and ‘After Pentecost’, to distinguish between them.

As the Season of Epiphany concluded last Sunday, with the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, we have now entered Ordinary Time (Before Lent) which, this year, lasts for four weeks.

During the specific church seasons, we follow a particular theme: in Advent we await the coming of Christ; during Christmas, we celebrate his arrival; and at Epiphany, we proclaim that Christ is manifested to the world as Saviour. However, there is no unifying theme in Ordinary Time. It is, however, a time for the Church to live out her vocation in the midst of the world, recalling that every Sunday is a celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Ordinary Time is therefore a time for growth and maturation, a time in which the mystery of Christ is called to penetrate ever more deeply into all things - the lectionary colour of Green during Ordinary Time reflecting this. We might then consider that Ordinary Time refers to living out our ‘ordinary’ lives as Christians. But, since we follow the risen Lord of the Universe, there should actually be nothing ‘ordinary’ about it!

A Prayer for this Week

Go before us, Lord, in all we do
with your most gracious favour,
and guide us with your continual help,
that in all our works begun, continued and ended in you,
we may glorify your holy name,
and finally by your mercy receive everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The Church of England, ministering to the people of Brookenby, Claxby, Croxby, Kirmond le Mire, Normanby le Wold, North Willingham, Stainton le Vale, Tealby, Thoresway and Walesby in the Lincolnshire Wolds.

© 2019-2025 All rights reserved. The Walesby Group of Parishes