March 2017
We are about to begin the sacred journey of Lent, a journey into the wilderness, a journey that invites us to go deep into our faith. As Jesus journeyed through the wilderness for 40 days, so do we during this season of 40 days of spiritual exploration and examination. On Wednesday, March 1, we will begin this journey by marking ourselves with ashes, a dry and dusty reminder of our own mortality. As the days grow longer, as warmer winds blow across the cold ground, and as the flowers begin to bloom, we remember that the things of this world fade. As springtime begins to flourish, we turn our eyes to the cross.
During Lent we often think about adding certain spiritual disciplines to our lives. Often when people think about Lent, they think about fasting, about giving up certain things so that, instead of turning to those things, we can turn to God. That might be a spiritual practice that helps you draw closer to God during this special season. For others, expanding their prayer life by adding something to their spiritual practice is what makes Lent meaningful and rich in connection with God. Still others might approach Lent as a season to go out into the world and be Christ’s hands and feet by engaging in service opportunities at the local food pantry or by volunteering at a homeless shelter or nursing home. We all connect with God in different ways. What ways will you connect with God this Lent?
There will be opportunities for you to go deeper this Lent and connect with others in our congregation. Each Wednesday evening at 7:00pm (March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29; April 5) we will gather for a simple service of worship and study.
Our Monday Morning Bible Study is beginning a study on the book Living Well Through Lent 2017: Listening With All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind. This book invites us to listen with our hearts to what God is speaking to us during this special season. There will be extra copies of this book available, so that each family can follow along with us even if you are not able to make it to Monday Morning Bible Study.
You can also buy it on Amazon for you Kindle (https://www.amazon.com/Living-Well-Through-Lent-2017-ebook/dp/B01N260T10/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487942381&sr=8-1&keywords=living+well+through+lent+2017). There’s a description in the article on Bible Study.
Finally, our Hospitality Team is going to be providing opportunities for our church family to connect more deeply with each other through “Connection Conversations.” Not only is it important that we listen to God during this season, but it is also important that we listen to our sisters and brothers, as we all seek to grow in our faith. We want our community of faith to have time to talk about what is important in the life of our congregation. While the Hospitality Team will host this first round of Connection Conversations, which will begin at the end of March around the topic of hospitality, these small group discussions will be a setting for other groups and individuals to engage in the important act of listening to one another. As we try out this new practice, let me know if there are topics you’d like to see our congregation talking about.
I hope that this season of Lent is meaningful for you and that you find a way that works for you to get closer to God. If there is anything I can do for you on your Lenten Journey, please, let me know.
Blessings and Peace to you,
Pastor Sarah
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