Pause for Thought February 2026

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5)
tealight

Candlemas: A Festival of Light and Hope

February begins with Candlemas, the festival marking the presentation of Christ in the temple as a baby. Simeon, upon seeing Jesus, took him in his arms and blessed him, rejoicing that he had lived to witness the arrival of the Messiah. Candlemas is celebrated 40 days after Christmas—a number rich with meaning in scripture, recalling the Israelites’ 40 years in the desert. This month, as we approach Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, we are invited to pause and reflect on where we have come from and where we are going. Candlemas reminds us to seek out glimmers of light and hope, trusting that God is with us even as we wait patiently for brighter days. We are called to carry that light and hope into the darker places of our lives and our world, echoing the Christmas message: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

Journeying Through Lent

This message of light carries us into Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday on 18th February. On this day, there will be a service of Holy Communion and Ashing at each of our churches:

10am at St Mary’s, Gatehouse of Fleet
6pm at Greyfriars, Kirkcudbright

Ash Wednesday is a time to stand before God in repentance. The ancient tradition of marking our foreheads with ash in the sign of the cross is a powerful symbol of penitence and the start of our 40-day Lenten journey.

From Darkness to Light: The Easter Promise

Throughout this month and next, we travel from light into darkness and then back into the light as we prepare for the joy of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. We make this journey with confidence, knowing that our sins have already been atoned for and our freedom secured through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Lent is a season of obedience and thanksgiving, a time to recognize that we receive more than we give and are loved more deeply than we can imagine.

Worship and Community

We warmly invite you to join us each week, through both ordinary days and festival seasons. As well as Sunday worship, our Lenten observances include:

Churches Together Lent Lunches: Simple meals of bread and soup each week
Lent Study Groups: Opportunities for learning and reflection
Devotional Prayer: Time set aside for personal and communal prayer

For more details, please visit the ‘What’s On’ pages of each church. And as we journey through this season of winter in the northern hemisphere, may you always remember:

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

With every blessing,
Revd Alison
Priest-in-Charge

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

New to church?

The following information is specifically for those planning a visit, so that you know, beforehand, what to expect on a Sunday morning.

Where and When

We meet at Greyfriars Church (details here) for our Sunday Service starting at 11am. For your first visit, we recommend arriving 10 minutes early to ensure you get a parking space and find somewhere to sit before the service begins. When you arrive, you will be greeted by someone on our Welcome Team.

We serve tea, coffee and biscuits after the service. It is a great way to meet people and find out more about us.

Accessibility: There is wheelchair access, and a sound loop for anyone who needs it. If you need a large print service book, please ask.

Our Service

The main service begins with a warm welcome from our Priest-in-Charge. Our service of Holy Communion includes hymns accompanied on the organ, bible readings, a sermon, prayers of intercession and responses. If you are a communicant member of another church, you are invited to share Holy Communion with us. Or if you prefer, you can come to the altar for a prayer of blessing.

Serving and Volunteering

Once you've settled here with us, if you want to get involved in the life of the church and help us make Sundays run smoothly, you can sign up to serve on a team. It's also a great way to get to know more people.

Get in touch with us to plan your visit

If you would like to come and visit the church beforehand you are more than welcome, or if you would just like to meet with someone before you come, please get in touch with us by filling out the form below.

Name:

Telephone:

Email Address:
Comments / Questions or anything you would like to say?

We will respond and help arrange anything necessary for your visit.

Who's who


Revd Alison Hudson
Priest in Charge

We hope that you will join us and feel at home at our lovely church community.