Lent is Coming Soon!
Lent begins early this year on Ash Wednesday, February 18th. The classic pattern of Lent is to pray, fast, and give alms for those 40 days. These three “acts” are meant to interrupt your typical schedule. They invite us to shake up our routine just enough that we become aware of our dependence on God’s grace and our disciplined devotion. They offer us opportunities to struggle a bit with the everyday concerns of the world. And they will sharpen your theological senses.
While there are many ways to accomplish these acts, there are communal opportunities at First designed to support your journey to find your true treasure. Reading and pondering the daily Lenten Devotions “Where Your Treasure Is" we have written collectively is a good start. The other is to change your normal schedule and plan to attend Evening Prayer on the six Wednesday evenings of Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday. The five Wednesdays after the 18th include options to join in a short city walk at 4:30, dinner together at 5:45, Evening Prayer at 6:30, followed by a class at 7:00. Please look ahead on your calendar to include Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, April 2, Good Friday, April 3, Easter Vigil April 4 and, of course, Easter morning. The second is to find something to fast from. Typically, people give up some type of food or beverage. But you might choose to fast from social media or the news; the main thing is to create an absence in your life. Allow a hole to exist, and let God be the one who fills it. Thirdly is to offer something extra. Again, tradition suggests the giving of alms. These are additional gifts of charity, typically to the poor, beyond your regular giving. You are free to give in any way that works for you. This year at First, the special Lenten offering we receive will go to Global Refuge. Our church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), has, for many decades, sponsored refugees from all over the world. We used to do this in coordination with the Federal govenment but these days we are more on our own. Last February, General Michael Flynn and Elon Musk, through DOGE, accused Global Refuge of being a front for waste, fraud, and abuse. We know better, because we know the good work they do for people seeking refuge. Our Alms will go to them.
A special addition to Lent is Sunday Morning Bible study. Pr. Bill Radatz, a wonderful teacher, will lead a five-part series called “Holy Wisdom, Holy Word: How our Bible Came To Be.”
During the hour before worship each Sunday in Lent (From 9 to 9:55 am in the Library), we will explore the origins and history of this book that we hold so dear, and sharpen our skills and use of available tools to better read, study and interpret scripture. We will begin February 22.
Review your calendar now, set aside the 40 days of Lent, and dedicate them to God’s glory and to your real treasure.
Photo by Jamie Ginsberg on Unsplash