An Explanation about this year's Lenten Series
During
the season of Lent, the 40 Days leading up to Easter (not counting Sundays), we
will be starting a new series, beginning on Ash Wednesday at 5:00pm, February 14 through Palm/Passion
Sunday, which will be March 25.
Starting
on Monday, February 19 at 10am and Wednesday, February 21 at 4:30pm, we will be
offering a Lenten study around Rev. Dr. Eric Elnes’ book, Gifts of the Dark Wood, which offers some different insights around
the sometimes dark places in our lives and how they can end up being a blessing
in disguise. To reserve a copy of the
book, please contact the church office.
You are welcome to donate $10 to the book fund when you pick your book
up.
Our
worship services, starting with Ash Wednesday on February 14 will touch on the
theme of rehabilitation. According to
the team at Discipleship Ministries in Nashville (Dawn Chesser, Taylor
Burton-Edwards, & Jackson Henry),
There is much to mine from
considering our Lenten journey this year within the frame of rehab, much to
explore, much to learn. But the core of the learning in rehab, like the core of
the learning in Lent, isn’t cognitive. It’s behavioral. In rehab, we learn how
to live differently, to set a “new normal” for ourselves and our relationships
after a period of time or perhaps a crisis has made it clear to us it is
impossible to live as we had before.
Likewise, in Lent, we focus on helping those coming to faith in Christ
for the first time, as well as those making their way back to Christ and the
fellowship of the church after a period of absence or neglect, primarily in
concrete, behavioral ways. Our goal for all who engage this period of time is
that the way of Jesus becomes either the “new normal,” or, for those who have
been consistent in the journey over time, is strengthened as our normal.[i]
We
are fully aware that just mention of the word ‘rehab’ and themes each week of
Lent might be a trigger that conjures up some negative feelings, bad memories,
unease, or touch a nerve. If that is the
case, please feel free to share your story and speak with Pastor Andrew if you
find yourself in need of pastoral care or to process through anything you are
struggling with in the series. You will
also be invited to seek out prayer partners during Lent, someone you can
confide in and check-in with throughout each week, as there will be a time of
response called ‘Living the Call’ right after the sermon, or use the season of
Lent for journaling.
As we
journey through the season of Lent and examine our bodies, minds, and souls
from the inside out, here are the themes and scriptural focus we will be
touching on:
February 14, Ash Wednesday: Mortality
Joel 2: 1-2, 12-17, Psalm 51: 1-17, 2
Corinthians 5: 20b-6:10, Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21
February 18: Wilderness, Mark 1: 9-15
February 25: Intervention, Mark 8: 31-38
March 4: Program, Exodus 20: 1-17
March 11: Recovery, John 3: 14-18
March 18: Promise, Jeremiah 31: 31-34
March 25: Palm/Passion Sunday, “The Cry
of the Whole Congregation” (No Sunday School)
We
hope that this Lent will be a time of deep spiritual growth and that it will
lead to restoration, wholeness, and new life that is possible. We look forward to seeing you Sunday morning
or in the small group studies.
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