On a Dark Winter's Night....

On a dark winter's night, the Rector, the Churchwarden, the Sacristan, Val, and I, went outside to a secluded part of the church grounds, and buried something in a hole.....that sentence probably sounds like the beginning of a horror story, but it's not. Last night, after Vespers, we colored a poster of the word "Alleluia". Father Ian, my supervisor, then took the "Alleluia" poster, rolled it up like a scroll, stuck it in a jar, and then we took a spade, we went out to the church herb garden, Alan the Churchwarden dug a hole, and we buried the jar under the rosemary. You may be wondering why we did that. We did that, because the season of Lent begins on Wednesday. Lent is the period of 40 days leading up to Easter that you aren't allowed to say or sing "Alleluia" at church, and the songs are sad and depressing. It's always a good time for reflection, and some people give up things for Lent, such as chocolate, alcohol, social media, complaining, and other things. We have the same tradition in the Lutheran Church where I grew up, about not saying "Alleluia" during Lent, and sad and depressing songs, but I have never actually been part of a ceremony like last night's. I am learning and experiencing all kinds of things over here, and I am thankful for every moment.