This Sunday at 10am we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple and our service of Confirmation.

We come together with our Bishop, the Rt Rev Pete Broadbent, Area Bishop of Willesden and Deputy Bishop of London, to celebrate with and support our candidates Roxanne Came, Laura Thornborough and Sarah Wells.

This is a significant stage on their journey of faith, when they take up the promises made on their behalf, or by them at baptism, publicly declaring their Christian faith and are commissioned into 'active service' by Bishop Pete.

Together with us, all three will affirm their Christian faith and then each will give testimony as to why they want to follow Jesus. For each of them, participating in the Start and Alpha courses at St Joseph's have been a part of that journey.

The bishop will lay hands on our candidates, anoint them with oil and pray for the Holy Spirit to empower and gift them as they grow as followers of Jesus Christ.

The Feast of the Presentation of Christ, (also called 'Candlemas') comes 40 days after our great Christmas celebrations. Our Gospel (Luke 2: 22-40) tells of old Simeon and the prophet Anna's patience and diligence in waiting and hoping for the promised Messiah. Their hearts are filled with joy at this fulfilment of their people's longing. But it is also a bitter sweet celebration, for we must heed Simeon's words as he blesses the Christ child and addresses Mary his mother (Luke 2: 34-35).

At the end of the Liturgy with our candles alight, the Bishop tells us that our attention now turns "from the cradle to the cross" as we look towards our Lenten journey and the momentous events of Holy Week (March 28th-April 4th this year). In theological terms, in the Church's year we now move from the 'incarnation cycle' to the 'redemption cycle'

This Sunday, we all pray that Roxanne, Laura and Sarah, like faithful Simeon and Anna, will trust in God's promises and grow in their faith as followers of Jesus, the Light of the World.

Traditionally we encourage worshippers to wear something red on Confirmation Sunday as we celebrate the work of God's Holy Spirit among us.
Refreshments are served in the Dovetail Centre after the service.

A prayer for Candlemas
Lord God, you kept faith with Simeon and Anna
and showed them the infant King.
Give us grace to put all our trust in your promises,
and the patience to work for their fulfilment;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen