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earthlyjoys abstain, fasting with unceasing prayer, strong with thee to suffer pain?”

Fasting is a discipline. We deny ourselves legitimate things that we may be able to say No to unlawful things.

Fasting is a witness to our faith. We abstain from meat on Fridays. There

is a value in all Christians marking Friday, witnessing to their faith by this simple act. It reminds us of our Lord's saving death upon the Cross.

The Lenten fast from harmless pleasures gives us an opportunity to have more time for prayer and Bible reading. It gives us an opportunity to make a special self—denial offering.

(e) Why fast at a particular time? Because we are a family in the Church, and there is less opportunity and

tendency for show or ostentation. We are better able to follow the spirit of fasting as set forth in the Sermon on the Mount.

Fasting, then is:

A token of our penitence and love;

It will take the form of curtailment of pleasures; It will strengthen self-discipline;

It will recall us, in the face of the distraction of ordinary life, to the seriousness of our Christian calling;

It will provide more time for prayer and worship. 4. Dues & Almsgiving.

Our duty is "to contribute fairly to the expenses ofthe Church and to give generously to the need of others" — or, as the new Prayer Book says, "the offering of money according to his means for the support of the Church and home and overseas."

Archbishop Joost de Blank of Capetown once said, "There are two main groupings of Christians: those who use the Church in any way it can serve them,