This year’s Lenten season has seemed longer than most. Lent began back on February 26 with Ash Wednesday. By the Third Sunday in Lent on March 15, we were worshiping online only.
Lent is a season of deprivation and self-denial, as we learn once more to trust in God alone for our strength and salvation. Our model is the forty days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness after his baptism and before his public ministry.
Our experience this Lent may not be what we had in mind for our spiritual disciplines (to quote one pastor:
This is the Lentiest, Lent I have ever Lented). In these times we learn what really matters most to us, our families, and our communities. We pray you know God's peace and comfort even as the pandemic grows.
We will continue to trust the health experts who tell us what we are doing now is the best way to slow the spread of the virus. And as Christians, we believe slowing the spread of the virus is the best way we can love our neighbors as ourselves: in keeping our neighbors from getting sick, and in not overwhelming those tirelessly and courageously serving in the medical professions here and around the world. We are doing the right thing and we share these sacrifices for the common good.
As we enter into Holy Week, we feel the grief more acutely of not being together as a church family. And yet, we may still walk together spiritually in the footsteps of Jesus through his passion, death and resurrection.
We have prepared a
"Holy Week at Home" prayer guide based on the Stations of the Cross. The guide outlines scripture readings and times of prayer in the morning and evening each day this week. We pray these times of prayer may draw you closer to Jesus as he nears the cross, and prepare you for the new life we find in resurrection on Easter morning.
On Monday, we will share our online worship opportunities for Holy Week. We look forward to connecting with you online!
In Grace and Love,
Pastors Anne & David Fuquay
