Dear friends,
Life, both within and beyond the Church, rarely slows for long. We live in a world of constant movement, urgent demands and competing voices. Without care, it becomes easy to drift into reacting rather than responding
or reflecting, and to lose sight of what grounds and sustains us.
We see protests in places like Iran being met with force rather than listening. We hear strong words from powerful figures, the volume turned up, pride and national ego never far from the surface. Beyond any single headline, there are conflicts and humanitarian crises where ordinary people carry the cost, while the rest of the world scrolls past, unsure what to do with it all. It can seem, in many ways, a bruising world.
And yet, this is precisely why the Church continues to matter. Not because it has easy answers, but because it points to a deeper hope. Week by week, quietly and faithfully, the Church holds open a space where people can pause, reflect, pray, and rediscover what grounds and sustains life. You do not need to have everything sewn up to step inside. You do not need to believe before you belong. If the noise of the world feels relentless, or if you are simply curious, you would be very welcome to come and see, to sit, to listen, and to find space to breathe, we call it Church, and find it incredibly life giving, it’s why so many of us still show up!
It is into this context that our diocese has named 2026 as a Year of Prayer. Bishop Michael has offered this invitation, which I share with you in full:
“Across our diocese of Bath and Wells I would like to make 2026 a year of especial focus on prayer. To be clear, this is not because I think we’re not praying. We are. But could we learn to pray better and pray more? I think we could. Might we do better if we sought to learn from each other? Almost definitely. Might focusing more on prayer shape us to become the people God has created us to be? Certainly. Could we become the answer to our prayers? In God’s good grace I hope so.”
Those words assume faith, but they also invite growth. Prayer is not an escape from reality, nor is it a private comfort alone. Prayer shapes how we see the world, how we respond to it, and how we live within it. It keeps us steady when life feels unsettled and reminds us that we are not alone.
As we approach Lent this year, this invitation feels especially timely. Lent is not about grim endurance or spiritual box ticking. It is a season of intentional turning. A time to slow down, to reflect honestly, and to make space for God. It is a season that speaks of repentance, forgiveness, and Hope.
This year, our Lent Course begins on 24th February and will replace Zoom Evening Prayer during Lent. It is offered as a gentle but meaningful opportunity to step out of the noise of everyday life and into a space of reflection and conversation.
The course is designed for those who are regular worshippers, and just as much for those who are uncertain, questioning, or simply wondering whether faith still has something to offer. The Church exists first and foremost for those who are not yet its members, and this course is one way of holding the door open. You do not need prior knowledge or firm beliefs. You are invited simply to come as you are. If a course seems too much too soon, then I point you to the invitation to simply try Church if you are not doing so already.
Lent reminds us that while we know how the story ends, we are still called to walk the road that leads there. We are Easter people, yet we are also pilgrims. Faith is not something to be taken for granted. It is a journey to be travelled with care, honesty and courage, trusting that even along the harder stretches, God is present.
Looking further ahead, I would also encourage you to save the date of 12th July, when we shall be joining a diocesan pilgrimage as part of the Year of Prayer. Pilgrimage is prayer in motion. It reminds us that faith is lived, not static, and that hope is often discovered while walking together.
There is much to pray for, locally and globally, and much to hope for even when the world feels unsettled. As we enter this Lenten season, may we be bold enough to pray honestly, patient enough to listen deeply, and open enough to be shaped by God in ways we may not expect.
With all blessings,
Lee