During the season of Lent, the church enters a time of reflection and repentance as we walk with Jesus along the road that leads to Jerusalem. We are all too familiar with the end of the road, for this is the road that leads to the events surrounding Jesus’ death on the cross on Good Friday and victory on Easter Morning.
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It seems hard to believe, but it won't be that many more weeks before Mary Erin and I will be welcoming our first child into the world. With a due date of the 17th of March the big day is just around the corner.
Over the last few weeks we have had a few comments and questions about how our friends and family can be of the most help, especially those who cannot make a quick hop over to Northern Ireland. With than in mind, we have put together a bit of information for anyone who wants to lend a hand.
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Happy Christmas from Northern Ireland!
The last few weeks have been the fun of getting to know the local traditions, like saying "Happy Christmas" instead of "Merry Christmas" and having the main worship service on Christmas Day morning instead of Christmas Eve night. All things considered, however, Christmas is exciting here just as it is at home. The biggest change for both of us is being away from family. In some ways it doesn't feel like Christmas without being with our parents and family, but I have to say that for our first Christmas away, Groomsport has treated us well!
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Over the past week and a half, I have watched as my community here in Northern Ireland has had Remembrance celebrations. From a procession and worship service in our local village, and later in the main town nearby, to the national Remembrance Sunday service in London, the dignity and respect with which the nation addresses those who have paid the ultimate price is deeply moving. The red poppy seems to adorn every lapel, from political leaders to bus drivers.
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I am a sucker for a good hymn; I always have been. So, when I come across something new, I have a tendency to share it with all my friends and try to find any excuse to work it into a worship service. That very thing happened this last Sunday.
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Moving to a new place is always filled with challenges and adventures; when that new place is across an ocean in a different country, those challenges and adventures are greatly increased! It is hard to believe, but we have been living in Groomsport for well over two months now. Over these past weeks we have learned to navigate the roads (with a great deal of help from our trusty sat-nav) and have (mostly) figured out the shops. We have taken day trips to beautiful formal gardens, relaxing mountain forests, and bustling indoor markets. There are still about a dozen times a day that we are reminded that things are different here, but slowly it is starting to feel a bit more familiar.
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