PASTORS POST

Lent as a Time of Hope?

Lent is a season when the church traditionally focuses on the preparation of baptismal candidates and the continual process of conversion and repentance for everyone. At one time Lent was a time that penitents were expelled from the
fellowship of the congregation as a period of repentance. It remains a solemn and penitential season of the church year with the spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting and alms giving emphasized. (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21, the Gospel for Ash
Wednesday).

But Lent is also a time of hope. Our hope is in the saving grace of God as revealed to us in the ministry, life, and death of Jesus which leads to the resurrection of Christ on Easter. God’s love is most clearly experienced in the Jesus’ self giving love, even to death on a cross.

Lent this year, is also a time when our congregation is planning to resume in person worship with COVID precautions. The Reopening Committee and the Worship and Music Committee are working on the details of gathering in person in a way that is as safe as possible. They hope that we can start in person worship the weekend of February 20-21. This is still in the planning stage but they think this is possible.

Wednesday evening worship using Holden Evening Prayer will be on Zoom. Also in the planning process is a combined Ash Wednesday worship on Zoom followed by the Imposition of Ashes outside the church in a drive through fashion. 

The root meaning of the word lent is spring—a time of hope and budding growth. We are hopeful that we can offer safe in person worship as well as worship on Zoom and online platforms. Please “stay tuned” as the details are worked out.
Remember, however we gather for worship this Lent our greatest hope is the love of God in the person and ministry of Jesus our sovereign and savior.
In Christ,

Pastor Michael

MANY THANKS

Our last shared coverage for rotation of Family Promise was in January and a heartfelt thank you is extended to the following folks for covering either the expense of a meal or actual foods provided for two single Moms and three children.

Tom and Shirley Kaetzer
Doug and Kari Chandler
Patti Riesland
Linda Oliverius

We also thank:

Mary Bates for donating curtains and Marcia Talley for donating linens to the house which Sarah and Joe Evans are donating for temporary use for one- or two-Family Promise participants until summer. This will help with the expense of housing Families in a motel. Thank you if anyone else contributed to this plan.

Our next shared rotation week is March 21-28. If there are questions or concerns, please call or send an e-mail to: Margie Sewell