Lent Course: A Rule for Life
Join us for our 2025 Lent Course, where we will be giving time to exploring our relationship with God and giving practical tools on how we deepen our commitment to follow Christ every day of our lives. The course will begin with a guided afternoon retreat on Ash Wednesday, 5 March, in Exeter Cathedral’s Sacristy followed by three fortnightly meetings in the Richard Eyre Room.
Ash Wednesday 5 March, 2:30pm-4pm: A Guided Meditation on ‘A Return to Love’
A time of guided contemplation and preparation to equip us for this Lenten journey and to enable those who wish to continue to examine and deepen their discipleship through Lent.
Session 1 – Sunday 9 March 12pm-1pm: What is a Rule of Life and How Do We Live It?
In this session, we will introduce the idea and practice of a Rule of Life, taking time to introduce the Cathedral’s own Rule of Life and consider how habits can positively shape and nurture a life of faith. We will be taking time to explore how rhythm and structure can enable growth even when the fruits of such practices are not immediately apparent or obvious. There will be opportunities for personal and shared reflection and time to consider how individual practices might be cultivated in the coming weeks.
Session 2 – Sunday 23 March 12pm-1pm: Exploring the Examen
In this session, we will dive deeper into a particular spiritual practice, the Examen, as a way in which we can pay attention to the moments in each day when we notice ourselves drawing close to or away from God. We shall think about how we might find ways to weave into our lives, times for candid self-examination, as well as reflect on times when we might overlook opportunities for gratitude. We hope that participants will be encouraged to try out the Examen in their everyday lives.
Session 3 – Sunday 6 April 12pm-1pm: Your Personal Vocation
We will consider our personal calling or vocation and ways to align it with service to others. We will introduce ways in which we might reconnect with our unique calling and how we might align our lives with God’s purposes for the world. In this final session, we will revisit our personal Rule of Life and think through how we might commit to continuing to live it out during Lent and beyond.
To sign up please email The Rev’d Canon Deborah Parsons or Rev’d Phil Wales.