Today
is the first Sunday in Lent. Lent is the
period of forty days, not counting Sundays, before Easter. This forty day period mirrors the time Jesus
was in the desert praying and fasting while being tempted to rely on other
power and provision than God’s Spirit and God’s Word.
For
us today, Lent is a time to for our “Spiritual GPS” to be redirected where it
has gotten off track from the direction of God’s will for our lives and our
church. Where we have sinned we “repent”
which literally means turn around. Where
we are lost in worry, doubt, anxiety and fear, we “come home” to a loving and
welcoming God. Where we are lax in studying
God’s Word and abiding with God in prayer, we create space for more of God and
less of “us” in our inner and outer lives.
In
the March newsletter I give some suggestions for practicing a Holy Lent. Another rich source of ideas is the article
“Forty Things to Give Up for Lent” found at https://www.greaterthings.today/40-things-to-give-up-for-lent-the-list/. Some people find it helpful to go without
things that they normally enjoy to bring them closer to Christ and Christ’s sufferings
on our behalf. Others add a discipline
to draw them closer to God and God’s will.
There
are three special events here at EPC that I encourage you to consider adding to
bring you closer to God and one another:
1. Beginning
Wednesday March 15 at 5:45 p.m. there will four Wednesday “Soup, Salad and
Study” evenings. Enjoy good food, fellowship and a study of
the Gospel of Luke. I will lead the
Bible study in a way that will help “flesh out” what we learn during worship. Daylight Savings time begins March 12
(“Spring Forward”) so you will be able to get home before dark.
2. Beginning
Sunday March 19 at 9:00 a.m. there will be four Sunday times of Music and
Meditation. This is a time to be still and be
inspired by excellent music and to learn a spiritual discipline each week. This period of Music and Meditation will be
followed by fellowship in the courtyard and Traditional Worship at 10:30 a.m. (note time change). Worshippers may attend one or both of
these times of praise.
3. On
Saturday March 25 from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. there will be a Spiritual Retreat in
the Prayer Chapel behind the Sanctuary. This retreat
is led by EPC’s Spiritual Formation Team.
I plan on attending for my benefit and hope you consider it too.
May
these forty days of Lent be a time of great growth for you and for
Eastminster. God is alive here, and I
pray that we remove or rebuke anything that would try to separate us from
living in right relationship with God.
If you would like counsel during this season don’t hesitate to contact
one of your Pastors or Elders. Our
contact information is on the back of your worship guide. May God Guide You and
EPC this Season!
Blessings,
Pastor Tim
No comments:
Post a Comment