Lent – A time of preparing for the days of Holy Week and the great festival of Easter, a time of prayer, of penitence, of fasting, of forgiveness, of renewing faith. It is a time for self-examination, and for reading and meditating on God’s word.

But is it a time of gloom? All the world is awaking to a new spring, pointing to the coming celebration of resurrection. Drawing near to God, a God who “hates nothing that God has made, and forgives the sins of all who are penitent,” is to draw near new beauty, the flash of God’s glory, the clarity of truth and light.

That is how Percy Dearmer saw it. His organist, Martin Shaw, was editing the Oxford Book of Carols. Who better to write a new text to the French carol “Quittez, Pasteurs”?

He looked at Isaiah 58:1-12, appointed to be read on Ash Wednesday. Here God chooses a fast which “looses the bonds of injustice” and “lets the oppressed go free,” which shares bread with the hungry and corrects old wrongs. He looked at Matthew 6, and heard Jesus saying not to practice piety for the praise received from others, and not to worry about what will be worn or eaten because God will provide it.

As a result, there is a wonderful hymn for Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent: hymn 145, “Now quit your care.” In it, Lent is a time for abandoning anxious fear and worry. The congregation is called to prayer, to trust and dedication, and to reply to God’s love with love. Everyone is called to a holy Lent by singing this wonderful carol, filled with lightness and repetition in both the text and the tune to remind everyone of the Lenten call to renew faith.

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The St. Cecelia St. Albans Choir rehearsal will soon change to Sundays. The first Sunday rehearsal will be March 5, 12:30 pm until 1:30 pm . For those in grades 4-12, please come and sing! Hopefully, the Sunday rehearsal will reduce some schedule conflicts, and allow more children to participate.

The Pohick Bell Choir, which is open to high school students and adults, is looking for just a few more bell ringers. Bell ringers will be taught everything they need to know to ring with confidence. Rehearsals are on Thursdays from 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm .

The K-2nd graders in the St. Francis Choir are learning to read musical rhythms, and singing rounds. They have memorized the service music in addition to their anthems. Nice job!

Look for the Pohick Pickers on the third Sunday of the month at the 9:00 am service as well as at their gigs in the community. Great community outreach for Pohick Church .

For those that play musical instruments, please make this talent known. At various times throughout the year, instrumentalists are needed. If available to play occasionally, please contact Linda Egan.

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Thank you to everyone who has welcomed me and my family so heartily to Pohick Church . Thank you for the beautiful receptions on our first Sunday here, for all the orientation and celebration the search committee has provided, for the welcome and willingness of the staff to show me the ropes, and all the memories of music here people have begun to share.