Prayer stations are being set up at St Mary's Church, Saffron Walden, throughout Lent to give visitors including school children a chance to pause and reflect.

On Ash Wednesday (March 2), the beginning of Lent leading up to Easter, St Mary's Church will hold two Communion services, at 9.30am and 8pm. They will include the imposition of ashes on the forehead of congregation members who wish to receive them.

The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev’d Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, has encouraged Christians in the diocese to pause, reflect and pray during the 40 days.

The prayer team at St Mary’s will be creating a prayer space each week for three weeks, starting on March 7.

During this time, some school classes will be invited to explore the stations.

• The first station, from Monday March 7, will focus on 'pausing'.

• The second station, from Monday March 21, will be on reflection and how we see ourselves.

• The third station, from Monday March 28, will be for praying about and bringing “Hopes and Dreams” to God.

All three prayer spaces will remain until Easter.