Dear siblings in Christ,

As I write this letter, the sky is grey outside, and it is the first day of February. When I worked in the NHS as a physiotherapist, I noticed a pattern that returned every year: by February, the busyness of Christmas and New Year had faded, and the winter blues had quietly settled in. The beauty of autumn had long passed, leaving behind bare branches, and the cold weather often limited our ability to connect with family and friends. All of this made it harder to motivate patients to do their exercises, and harder for many of us to feel energised.

Recently, I came across a poem by Margaret Atwood about the month of February, where she writes, “February, month of despair, with a skewered heart in the centre.” It’s a line that captures the heaviness of this time of year—though only if you stop reading there. She ends the poem with a gentle nudge toward hope: “You’re the life principle, more or less, so get going on a little optimism around here.”

That optimism is something I caught glimpses of on my walk with my dog this morning: buds forming on the trees, snowdrops pushing through the cold ground. Small signs that spring is on the way. They remind us that even in the starkness of winter, there is movement, renewal, and quiet preparation. Perhaps the season invites us to reflect on winter not as an ending, but as a necessary pause—a space where life gathers itself before beginning again.

Parker J. Palmer, in Let Your Life Speak, suggests that winter is a gift we can draw on in our own lives. There are always seasons when life feels bleak or stripped back, but like the natural world, these times do pass. Winter is not wasted time; it is a period of deep renewal, where life is restored beneath the surface.

This February also brings the beginning of Lent on the 18th—a season for reflection, nourishment, and drawing nearer to God. Lent invites us to slow down, to listen, and to allow God to meet us in the quiet places of our lives, just as new life begins quietly beneath the winter soil.

Across the Northampton Methodist Circuit, we are inviting you all to journey with us as we explore the Holy Habit of Prayer. Throughout Lent, small groups in many of our churches will be reflecting on themes such as: when prayers appear unanswered, asking in prayer, praying when things go wrong, praying when our emotions are strong, building a rhythm of prayer into our daily lives, praying for the world without losing hope, and being open to the transforming work of God through the Holy Spirit. I encourage you to take some time to reflect on whether you could join us this Lent.

My prayer is that this season—both the winter outside and the Lent before us—will offer you space to breathe, to reflect, and to rediscover the quiet hope that God is always at work, even when life feels still. May we notice the snowdrops, the small beginnings, and the gentle signs of renewal. And may we find ourselves drawn deeper into prayer, trusting that God meets us in every season.

Grace and peace to you all.

Revd Dr Samantha Gillard
Minister, Northampton Methodist Church & Circuit.