Ash Wednesday
Today is lent and unfortunately we won’t be able to join together in worship because of inclement weather. But I still wanted to take a few moments to remind you why Ash Wednesday is important and how we can live into the rhythm of this Lenten season. Dating back to as early as 325 A.D. Christians began a 40 day fast before Easter Sunday as a way of identifying with Jesus’ 40 day fast in the wilderness described in Matthew 4:1-11. If you pull out your calendars you will actually see that Ash Wednesday is 46 days before Easter but that is because Sundays are not meant to be fast days but feast days with God on the Sabbath. Ash Wednesday is the beginning of this season and we make the sign of the cross on our foreheads with the ashes to remind us of our own mortality (Genesis 3:19) and our sinfulness (Job 42:6 and Daniel 9:3). Because we are broken people with a finite time on earth, Lent can be a powerful time to focus on our faith and be intentional about opening up our lives to the transformative movement of the Holy Spirit again.
Most Christians try to create that space for God to move by giving something up for Lent. But when you select something to let go of, it’s important to add in a spiritual discipline or practice to replace the time, energy, or money that is now available. If you are looking for way to clear out the bent towards materialism or clutter in your life, click here.
If you are looking for a way to see the world through God’s eyes and look for Christ in the ordinary routine of life, check out this creative photography journey through Lent here.
If you would like ideas of the negative tendencies or internal struggles that constrain us, check out this website.
And God bless Rachel Held Evans for sharing great ideas for prayers, meditative practices, or other ways to engage in Lent this year (many of which we do during our Lenten and Advent Prayer Challenges). Check out her blog here.
At The Gathering, we take Lent seriously and see it as an opportunity to grow in our faith as a church. That is why we will have our Lenten Prayer Challenge every Monday throughout this season. Join us from 5:30-6pm for a FREE home-cooked meal followed by a 45 minute time of prayer as a church. Each week we will be looking at the theme “Who is Jesus to the poor, to the powerful, to the outcast, to the persecuted, to the entitled?” We will also be continuing our Dinner & Discipleship on Wednesday nights from 5:30-7pm with a FREE home-cooked meal from 5:30-6pm and a Christian parenting course offered at the church from 6-7pm or the “God, Beer and Wings” group which meets at A.J. Gators on Witchduck Rd from 6-7pm. A final opportunity for spiritual growth during Lent is to participate in our Lenten Envelope Challenge. There are envelopes on the back wall of our sanctuary with a dollar amount listed on it that is a multiple of 55. Why 55? On Easter Sunday our church will be 55 months old so to celebrate all that God has been doing at our church over the past 55 months we are trying to raise money to cover 100% of the costs of children’s ministry, small group materials, nursery supplies, and youth group supplies for the entire year. Please join us in giving sacrificially during Lent with this additional envelope giving above and beyond your financial pledge to the church.
As your pastor, I’m excited to see what you prayerfully decide to let go of during Lent and the spiritual blessing and deepening walk with Christ that comes out of this journey. I can’t wait to start our new sermon series on The Followers this Sunday. May you find peace over the next 46 days as you center yourself in the presence of your Creator, Savior, and Sustainer!