February 19, 2007

 

     

 

 

 

Welcome to the church season of Lent.  Our Ash Wednesday service marked the beginning of our preparation for Easter.  The six weeks of Lent in the church involves forty days, not counting Sundays, beginning this year on Ash Wednesday (February 21) and ending on Holy Saturday (April 7).  Easter Sunday, our special day of celebrating the living Jesus, will be on April 8^th.

 

Lent is a time in the life of the church when Christians set aside time for reflection on their faith and on the gift that Jesus made on the cross of his life for our sins.  This has also been a time in the church when God’s people rededicated themselves and when converts were instructed in the faith and prepared for the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.  Another aspect of Lent has been the ancient practice of fasting or “giving something up for Lent.”  This is a spiritual discipline that does not involve starvation or a hunger strike.  Fasting, or giving something up for Lent, is a practice to aid us as in our spiritual growth.

 

To guide us during in our preparation for Easter, our worship services and activities will revolve around the theme, “40 Days With Jesus.”  This theme will help us remember all that Jesus has done for us and that he entered the world in Bethlehem to give his life for our sins in Jerusalem .  My prayer for you as we prepare for Easter is that you may grow in your faith, that you may discover God’s leading in your spiritual growth, and together as God’s church. 

                                                            Grace and Peace,                                                                  Pastor Richard

 

 

MORE ABOUT LENT…

The church season of Lent begins each year on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Holy Saturday.  It is a time of forty days, not including Sundays, leading up to Easter.  Because Easter Sunday occurs on a different day each year, the season of Lent changes as well.  In the early centuries of the church converts prepared for membership in the church and received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism on Easter Sunday.  In our modern age, Lent is most commonly observed through a time of prayer and preparation. 

The use of forty days is an important spiritual time throughout the Bible.  We find in the Old and New Testaments references to forty days as significant times of spiritual growth or preparation.  In the New Testament, the number forty is connected to the number of days that Jesus spent preparing for his ministry in the Judean wilderness.  The church season of Lent and Advent are the two most important in the Christian calendar.  The worship color associated with Lent is purple, the color of royalty, reminding us that Jesus is king.

FASTING…

The spiritual discipline of fasting is often observed on certain days during Lent.  Fasting is not about starvation, but concentrates on “giving up” certain foods on certain days.  Some common foods to fast include meat, sweets, or any particular food group.  When fasting, you are to remember that when you give up a food during Lent, you are to remember that what we given up is far less than what Jesus gave for our sins.

PRAYER…

Taking extra time for prayer is also important during Lent.  Christians cannot spend too much time in prayer.  In the quiet time of prayer we can discover God’s will for our lives, answers to our concerns, and strength for living faithfully in a challenging world.

OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT LENT…

Ashes - Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Season of Lent.  The name comes from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of Christians as a sign of humility before God.  The ashes are also a symbol of mourning and sorrow at the death that sin brings into the world. The ashes remind us that Jesus was born to die and reminds us that sin always has consequences.

Holy Week – We observe special worship services on Maundy Thursday, often called Holy Thursday.  On this night the time Jesus spent in the Upper Room with his disciples is remembered and the Sacrament of Holy Communion is observed.  On Good Friday, the mood is somber as we remember the darkness brought into the world by sin.  The burden of sin is recalled in scripture and music and the hopelessness that comes if we try to make our way in the world without God.  Holy Saturday is also a day of mourning and in our worship service there is no music sung.  The good news on Holy Saturday is that we know Easter is only hours away.  God’s plan for salvation is about to be fulfilled and so the sense of mourning is mixed with the anticipation of redemption.

 

 

“40 Days With Jesus”

 

 

 

 

February 25

Sermon            “Greatness in Humility”

Scripture          John 1:1-15

March 4                       Sacrament of Holy Communion

Sermon            “Overcoming Temptation”

Scripture          Matthew 4:1-11

March 11                    

Sermon            “Making Friends”

Scripture          Matthew 28:19-20

March 18

Sermon            “Talking With God”

Scripture          Mark 6:30 -46

March 25

Sermon            “Experiencing Miracles”

Scripture          Luke 19:37

April 1             Cantata                       

 

 

 

 

HOLY WEEK SERVICES

 

April 5             Holy Thursday –

Sacrament of Holy Communion

Sermon            “Dinner With Friends”

Scripture          Matthew 26:26-29

April 6             Good Friday

Sermon            “Giving Through Suffering”

Scripture          Mark 15:33 -41

April 7             Holy Saturday  - A Service of Healing and Wholeness

Sermon            “God’s Healing Touch”

Scripture          Luke 11:33-36