So Lent begins March 6... What exactly is Lent again?
Lent is one of the oldest seasons in the church calendar. The name, “Lent” comes from the Old English word from which we get our word “lengthen,” reflecting the growing springtime daylight in the Northern Hemisphere. Originally, Lent was a season of preparation for the high holy days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday and contemplation of the power of God’s love at work in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Somewhere along the way, preparation and contemplation got misinterpreted through the lens of guilt and shame, leading some to associate the Lent with obligation, self-denial, even punishment.
But—surprise!—that isn’t the only way to look at Lent. Lent can be a gift, an annual reminder that “we are only human,” that while, God knows, we can’t do everything, we can try to do more to live out the purposes of God in our everyday lives. It can be a season of centering and self-reflection, of prayer and yes, preparation and contemplation of the mysteries of God’s self-giving love. If we discover unhelpful or unhealthful or sinful habits in ourselves, we can practice giving them up for the duration. But we can also “take things on”—try on new spiritual practices, new habits of heart and walk around in them a while to see how they suit us.
Our theme for Lent this year will be “Cracked,” taking inspiration from the Apostle Paul’s 2 Corinthians 4:7, “we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us” and Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem,” “there’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”
But—surprise!—that isn’t the only way to look at Lent. Lent can be a gift, an annual reminder that “we are only human,” that while, God knows, we can’t do everything, we can try to do more to live out the purposes of God in our everyday lives. It can be a season of centering and self-reflection, of prayer and yes, preparation and contemplation of the mysteries of God’s self-giving love. If we discover unhelpful or unhealthful or sinful habits in ourselves, we can practice giving them up for the duration. But we can also “take things on”—try on new spiritual practices, new habits of heart and walk around in them a while to see how they suit us.
Our theme for Lent this year will be “Cracked,” taking inspiration from the Apostle Paul’s 2 Corinthians 4:7, “we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us” and Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem,” “there’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”
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Ash Wednesday, March 6 @ 7pmWe enter Lent through the door of Ash Wednesday, which this year is March 6 @ 7pm. Join us for a simple, contemplative service suitable for all ages, which will include both the imposition of ashes (“Remember that you are only human”) and anointing with oil (“Remember that you are loved by God”). It's not about guilt. It's about the hard truth of our lives as human beings, which we're empowered to face by God's most amazing grace. Even is this is something you've never tried before, we encourage you to step out in faith and give it a try.
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Lenten Series:
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This series is coming forward at a time when coming together is so, uh, important to say the least. These five films point to areas of fracture with ideas of how we can come together regardless of race, nationality, faith, sexual orientation, as one humanity for the healing of the world.
For more information, click here.
For more information, click here.