The season of Lent begins February 17. Lent is traditionally a 40-day journey of repentance, reflection, and transformation. It is a time to recenter ourselves in God’s love as we wait for Easter morning. In the season of Lent, we’re reminded that cycles of suffering and brokenness always find us and lead us off course. Prophets in every time shout: “Repent. You’re going the wrong way! Turn around.” And in all times, God offers a sacred refrain: “I choose you, I love you, I will lead you home.” In Lent, rituals, stories, community, worship, confession, compassion, and connection help us hear this invitation to turn around and recenter God’s love in our lives more clearly.
The Lenten season and Lenten journeys are an opportunity for individual reflection, but we never do love’s work alone. Here are some ways we can all walk together during Lent all the way to Easter’s joy:
Feb. 17, 4:30-5:30PM
Centered in Ritual: Ash Wednesday (drive thru) Worship
Join Pastor Karyn and Pastoral Intern Stevi Hamill for the traditional Lenten practices of receiving ashes, communion, and a blessing. Of course, we’ll do this in a nontraditional way in these unusual COVID times. We’ll set up stations in the church parking lot so that you can safely drive up, roll down your window and receive ashes, a bit of communion, and some resources to continue your Lenten journey at home this season. This includes a special Lenten devotional with simple soup and bread recipes from members of the congregation!
Feb. 21 at 6PM (and the 6 Sunday evenings of Lent):
Centered in Fellowship: Soup Supper Devotion Time. Gather at home around your supper table and then gather with us on ZOOM to break bread together as Lenten journey companions. Similar to our Advent gatherings, these simple, short devotion times are for everybody. We’ll center ourselves in “sharing” a meal, scripture, story and symbols, and talking about recentering things we can do along Love’s Way.
Feb. 24, 6-7:30PM:
Centered in Self-awareness: Practicing the Enneagram. Deepen your Lenten journey by joining Pastor Leah in a 12-part series on the ancient practice of using the Enneagram, which promotes self-knowledge and better self-awareness, but it can also help us understand others, as well. This on-line workshop begins Wednesday, Feb. 24, 6:30PM. Look for details about how to sign up in upcoming Highlights.
April 2, 7PM:
Centered Even in Shadows: Good Friday on-line worship and Sanctuary Vigil. We’ll offer more details on Holy Week events as the time gets closer, but be sure to hold this sacred space on your calendar for an evening ZOOM worship and an opportunity to spend time in the sanctuary keeping watch for Easter’s joyful resurrection.
We need God’s recentering refrain of grace. We need each other on this journey of faith. This Lent, may we bring all of who we are to the blessed messiness of both lamenting and loving, trusting that God will meet us and walk with us along our way.
Pastor Karyn
