Tim’s Tidings
On
March 1 Christians around the world begin the season of Lent. Lent is the season 40 days before Easter (not
counting Sundays which are feast days) where believers repent of those things
that are separating us from living in the fullness of God’s abiding presence and
rededicate ourselves to doing those things that bring us closer to God. Mirroring the 40 days Jesus was in the desert
tempted to sin, we model Jesus’ life through focusing on Godly living informed
by scripture, prayer and worship.
Here
are some communal ways we are observing Lent:
On Wednesday March
1 at 7 p.m. Eastminster will mark the beginning of Lent with an Ash Wednesday Service. This service will unite both our Saturday
and Sunday worshipping community as we repent of sin and as those who desire receive
a cross on our foreheads to remember, “From dust we come and to dust we
return.” It is a beautiful service of
music and art which hopefully humbles us and focuses us on the road ahead, a
road of introspection, fasting, service and prayer.
On Wednesday
March 15 at 5:45 p.m. Eastminster will start a four Wednesday series of “Soup,
Salad and Study of Luke.” Our
Congregational Care Committee will provide the Soup and Salad. There will be a brief period of music and
singing. Then, I will lead a study
“Unlocking the Wisdom of Luke” which will give added understanding to the
“Ready … Set … Go!” series we are currently engaging in worship.
On Sunday March
19 for five weeks our worship schedule will change slightly for Lent and Easter
to allow more opportunity for spiritual growth.
The Lent Schedule for March 19, 26, April 2 and 9 will be:
9:00 a.m. Lenten
Music and Meditation
9:45 a.m. Fellowship
10:30 a.m. Lenten
Worship
11:30 a.m. Fellowship
The
addition of the Music and Meditation time on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. will
bring some of the best music and spiritual practices to our church as we
prepare our hearts to live as renewed Christians. This time of worship will foster inward
reflection through music meant to quiet the heart and mind, thereby preparing
the soul for prayer and reflection. Children’s and Adult Christian Education
will continue on their regular schedule and Fellowship will be offered after
each worship event.
On Good Friday
April 14 at 7:00 p.m. there will be a presentation of Haydn’s Seven Last Words
of Christ by the Eastminster and the Florida Institute of Technology Choir and
String Orchestra. This will be a
worship highlight of the year. Plan to
arrive early and be blessed!
On April 16 we
will celebrate Easter at 6:30 a.m. (Sunrise), 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. worship. May these events and your personal lives
of devotion and service prepare us all to mature as a Christian Community
focused on Jesus Christ as “Led by the Holy Spirit Eastminster
glorifies Christ by loving God and others in worship, word and deed.”
Blessings,
Tim
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