Lent this year begins on Wednesday, March 5th. In the church calendar year, Lent is the 40 day period, excluding Sundays, leading up to Easter. It is a time of contemplation, lament, and earnestly seeking God as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the joyous Resurrection of Jesus. Lent is meant for Christians to deeply consider why Jesus died on a cross. It is a good time to consider letting go of those things which have a hold on our hearts and to fast from them. Lent is often considered a journey where we deepen our walk with Jesus, our Savior whose sacrifice makes us whole.
To begin the Lenten season, we will be offering prayer in the sanctuary all day long on Ash Wednesday. Starting at 6:00am, you are invited to come and spend time with Jesus on this day set aside for reflection. We are always invited to come to the Lord in prayer, believing God will meet us. As this is the first day of Lent, this may be a day where you are beginning a fast as well. Fasting from our regular patterns of eating or an ingrained activity helps us be more reliant on God. Fasting is not required, but it is a helpful spiritual discipline which mirrors how Jesus fasted in the desert before beginning ministry. Fasting invites the Holy Spirit to meet us in new ways as we give up something that is important to us, and then invite God to fill that space with His presence.
This day of prayer will be in the sanctuary on March 5th starting at 6:00am. You are invited to come anytime and pray or you can set aside an hour to do so at home. Pastors will be available to pray with you during the day. We will provide scripture prompts and writing materials, in case you want to write down your prayers. We will then end with worship in the sanctuary at 6:30pm, at the Ash Wednesday Service. This is a beautiful worship service of scripture and music that will prepare us for the sacred season of Lent. This service highlights themes of humility, repentance, and mortality, and we will spread ashes on your forehead, a long-standing tradition of the church.