Easter Services
Lent–Holy Week–Easter
2026
FROM THE RECTOR
This booklet is an encouragement for us all to use the time of Lent well. Lent is the traditional preparation time of forty days from Ash Wednesday to the resurrection of our Lord on Easter Day. It is a season of spiritual reflection, and an opportunity for “clearing the decks”. Often people choose to give something up for Lent (chocolate or alcohol!) and sometimes people choose to take on something extra – an extra spiritual discipline, or even an exercise programme! How might you choose to mark out Lent as a special time of year for you?
Might you consider coming to one extra weekday activity? What about being part of one of the Lenten Programs? Or coming to one of our quiet weekday services, Holy Communion on a Wednesday morning, or Morning Prayer on a Thursday or Friday morning? What about planning the Easter holiday break so the great liturgical celebrations are a central part of what you do?
Additionally, from the 1st of March, confidential prayer teams will be available to support you after the Sunday services at St Andrew’s. Please be encouraged and have a good Lent!
God bless you all,
Reverend Roxanne.
WHY DO WE OBSERVE LENT?
From about the 4th century, the Church observed a period of 40 days of fasting in preparation for Easter. The custom arose from the prescribed fast of the candidates for Baptism at the conclusion of their long period of instruction and preparation. As their Baptism approached, this intensive preparation of the weeks before Easter began and the whole Church took up this process as being a period of renewal of their own baptismal promises. This we still do at our services on Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.
The austerity of the Lenten season reminds us that our faith is centred on the essentials of human living, so we dispense with some of those external symbols of our religious background to concentrate more fully on what they represent. Flowers are removed, and the exultant passages of praise, such as the Gloria and Alleluias are omitted from the Liturgy. The dominant colour is purple, the colour of royal mourning.
Before this austere period, we enjoy one last celebration on Shrove Tuesday, with our Pancake Evening at St Andrew’s Hall on the 17th February this year.
LENTEN SERVICES
ASH WEDNESDAY – 18th February – St Andrew’s
11am Holy Communion with Imposition of Ashes
7pm Holy Communion with Imposition of Ashes
WEEKENDS IN LENT
3.30pm Being With pathway program @ St Matthews on Saturdays
5.00pm Saturday @ St Matthews with hospitality from 4.30pm
7.30am Sunday @ St Andrews – traditional Holy Communion
9.30pm Sunday @ St Andrews – contemporary family service
WEEKDAYS IN LENT
Wednesday Holy Communion 11.00am Lady Chapel St Andrew’s
Thursday Morning Prayer 8.00am Lady Chapel St Andrew’s
Friday Morning Prayer 8.00am Sanctuary St Andrew’s
LENTEN PROGRAMS
This Lent we are making the journey with the Joy Lenten Studies 2026 book, which is available from the office for $10. Various people will lead small groups (of up to 10 people) through a study of joy. Christians ought to be people of joy because we are grounded in gospel grace and an assured destiny with God. The daily readings cover Joy from God, his presence, creation and redemption in the Old Testament, Joy specifically in the Psalms, Joy amid suffering from various New Testament readings, and Joy in the Letter to the Philippians. Finally, Holy Week picks up Jesus’ final night speaking with the disciples on the theme of joy, and looking ahead to the vision of the Book of Revelation for its climactic joy.
Groups start from Thursday 19th February.
Monday afternoons 2.30pm hosted by Ann Helmrich in Goonellabah from 23rd Feb
Monday Evenings in the Hall 7pm led by Stephen Hall from 23rd Feb
Wednesday afternoon Women’s group in the St Andrew’s Hall at 2pm led by Dawn Back from 25th Feb
Wednesday evening Young Adults group at 7.30pm in the Lady Chapel led by Revd Roxanne from 25th Feb
Thursday evening Men’s Group in the church at 7pm led by Revd Al from 19th Feb
Thursday afternoons at 2:30pm at Wollongbar from 16th April – hosted by Revd Rhonda and Carol Anderson
All very welcome. Please sign up on the sheets in the Narthex or
let the group leaders know of your participation.
HOLY WEEK DIARY
PALM SUNDAY – 29th March – COMBINED SERVICE – St Andrew’s
8.30am Blessing of Palms, Procession, and Holy Communion Service
HOLY WEEKDAYS
Tuesday 31st March Evening Prayer 5:00pm St Matthew’s
Wednesday 1st April Holy Communion 11:00am St Andrew’s
TRIDUUM SACRUM
MAUNDY THURSDAY – 2nd April
7.00pm Holy Communion, Foot Washing and Stripping of the Altar
St Andrew’s will remain open for vigil for an hour after the liturgy.
GOOD FRIDAY – 3rd April
9.00am The Lord’s Passion St Andrew’s
HOLY SATURDAY –
4th April 7.00pm Great Easter Vigil - St Matthew’s
EASTER DAY – 5th April
7:30am Tradtional Holy Communion St Andrew’s and Morning Tea
9:30am Contemporary Holy Communion St Andrew’s and Morning Tea
Being With
On Saturday afternoons during Lent and beyond, Revd Roxanne and Leon will lead the Being With program at 3.30pm at St Matthew’s Dunoon. This ten week program will run from Saturday February 28th to Saturday 2nd May. Being With is a conversational program to explore the Christian faith and helps people consider Christian faith in new and refreshing ways, without needing prior knowledge, but a simple willingness to share what they know or feel. To participate in this new program, please email Revd Roxanne and visit the Being With website at https://being-with.org/
Rector: The Reverend Roxanne Addley
E-mail: rector@lismoreanglicans.com
Mobile: 0414 237 746
14 Zadoc Street Lismore NSW 2480 (St Andrew’s)
37 James Street Dunoon NSW 2480 (St Matthew’s)