From Pastor Jonathan…
The season of Lent is upon us. As we enter this season we remember Jesus’ forty day journey into the wilderness that preceded his ministry, how he was tempted by Satan, and how those moments prepared him for his mission and ministry.
These are days when we too are called to resist temptation, to center ourselves on God and God’s provision for us, and to remember how we are called by God into mission and ministry. Lent is a season of fasting and preparation that readies us for Easter, for resurrection, and for new life. Over these forty days of preparation many people will choose to fast, to set aside time for prayer and meditation, to seek out solitude, to study the Scriptures, or simply recommit themselves to discipleship and growing in their faith.
We want to journey with you through this season, through the wilderness, and to the cross. We want to support you on your Lenten journey.
Our Lenten journey together begins on Wednesday, March 2 at 6pm, when we will celebrate Ash Wednesday. During this service we will remember our mortality, we will hear scripture readings that will prepare us for our journey, and we will have ashes imposed on our foreheads to mark us, to remind us, and to prepare us for our journey to the cross. As the ashes are imposed, you will hear a call to repentance, a call to turn from the broken and sinful ways of the world in order to return to Jesus.
Repentance takes time, that is why we will spend forty days readying ourselves for Easter. To help you center yourself throughout this season we will be reading together a Lenten Devotion called, “Living Lent” which is produced by Morningstar, a ministry that provides a sanctuary where transformative teaching and healing affirms children through real relationships. You can learn about Morningstar and have these devotions delivered to your email inbox by subscribing here. We will also have these devotionals in each of our bulletins this coming Sunday.
I pray that you will join us on this journey into the wilderness that leads us to the cross. I pray that by repenting you might truly believe the Gospel and experience abundant life in Jesus.
On the journey with you,
Jonathan Smith
For Jesus. For People. For Community.