February 22, 2026
First Sunday in Lent
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Readings and Psalm
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
Eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
Psalm 32
Mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord. (Ps. 32:10)
Romans 5:12-19
Death came through one; life comes through one
Matthew 4:1-11
The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness for forty days
Today's gospel tells of Jesus’ temptation in the desert. His forty-day fast becomes the basis of our Lenten pilgrimage. In the early church Lent was a time of intense preparation for those to be baptized at the Easter Vigil. This catechetical focus on the meaning of faith is at the heart of our Lenten journey to the baptismal waters of Easter. Hungry for God’s mercy, we receive the bread of life to nourish us for the days ahead.
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Worship Support
Presiding Minister: Pastor Chris Repp
Assisting Minister: Marlys Scarbrough
Reader: Cindy Grigorescu
Deacons: Susan Monte
Greeters: Dennis & Allison Archer
Ushers: Carol & Dave Larson
Livestreamer: Michael Miller
Sound Technician: Kevin Vail
Music Director: Nicholas Pierle
Organist: Mike Keeley
Coffee Hour: Carol & Dave Larson
Chancel Flowers: There are no flowers during the Lenten season.
For the upcoming Worship Support schedule, see the spreadsheet found here on Google Drive.
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We are sad to note that Ingeborg Knight died on January 13, 2026.
Ingeborg and her husband, Frank Knight, were the founders of the Grace Lutheran Church Food Pantry in 1985.
Her full obituary and memorial site can be found here: https://www.forevermissed.com/ingeborg-gertrud-knight/about
A memorial service for Ingeborg is planned for Sunday, March 15, 2026 starting at 1pm at the Fireside Room at Rossmoor in Walnut Creek, CA.
Please keep Ingborg's family and friends in your prayers.
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Lenten Soup Suppers 2026
Starting this Wednesday, February 25th!
As has been our tradition at Grace, the Parish Life Committee will host "Lenten Soup Suppers" beginning at 6pm in the narthex on February 25, March 4, 11, 18 and 25.
As in past years, we plan to offer crock pot soups and bread. There will be a sign-up sheet in the narthex. In recent years, two soup choices weekly have been adequate. Please consider helping by providing soup or bread, or by helping to set up or clean up on a date that works with your schedule.
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Lenten Service Project Information:
You are invited to be part of a
Welcoming Team during Lent!
St. Andrew’s Campus Center is now in their new building and has begun to carry out ministry in a brand new space. We offer them our congratulations!
Sunday evening meals:
To help welcome them into their new space, the Social Ministry Committee of Grace Lutheran has made a commitment this Lent to provide food for the St. Andrew’s Sunday evening fellowship meals.
A team leader from Grace will organize each meal and will be looking for others to assist.
There will be a variety of needs each week of both supplies and volunteer helpers.
Please look for the sign-up chart in the narthex at Grace Lutheran Church.
Also note, members of Grace are invited to join them for these fellowship meals which begin at 5:45 and then to attend worship with them at 7:00.
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Free Lenten Devotionals in the Narthex
Please choose a Devotional for Lent that suits you and/or your Family. They can be found in the narthex, and are free as a gift from Grace Lutheran. Past materials and new selections are available to choose from. May you have a blessed Lent.
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On The Way, starting this week!
On The Way resumes in Lent on Thursdays in the evening, beginning on February 26, and meeting through March 26.
On The Way is a faith-formation opportunity at Grace that connects new and prospective members with established members of our faith community. If you’re reading this, you’re a candidate for participating in On The Way!
Each 90-minute session begins with conversation on a topic of faith, continues with group reflection on a biblical text, and closes with communal prayer.
We’ll meet for On The Way in the chapel, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. On the second and fourth Thursdays of the month that timing overlaps with Game Night, but this is only temporary.
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Music Notes
The selected anthems for February, observed as Black History Month, offer a theologically and musically rich engagement with themes that resonate deeply with the Lenten season, repentance, justice, lament, hope, and spiritual resolve, while honoring the enduring legacy of African American sacred music. Blessed Are the Peacemakers by Rosephanye Powell draws directly from the Beatitudes, emphasizing reconciliation, humility, and moral courage. Its message aligns with Lent’s call to self-examination and peacemaking in a fractured world. True Light by Keith Hampton proclaims Christ as illumination amid darkness, a central Lenten motif as the Church journeys toward the light of Easter through penitence and spiritual discipline.
We Shall Walk Through the Valley by Undine Smith Moore engages the imagery of Psalm 23 and the African American spiritual tradition, confronting suffering with steadfast faith. The piece mirrors Lent’s honest acknowledgment of trial and mortality, while affirming God’s abiding presence. Hear My Prayer by Moses Hogan embodies personal and communal supplication, giving voice to lament, longing, and trust—essential expressions within Lenten worship.
Together, these works situate the choir within a lineage of African American composers whose sacred music arises from historical struggle and profound faith. As presented during Black History Month, these anthems not only honor cultural and artistic contributions but also deepen our congregation’s Lenten reflection through music that testifies to perseverance, justice, and redemptive hope.
Nick Pierle, Music Director
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Grace Lutheran Game Nights in 2026
Gather with friends and enjoy an evening together! Every 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month, from 6-8:00pm, a group meets for Games in the Narthex. The group gathers to enjoy each other's company and engage in card and board games. Mark your calendars! The next date for Game Night is Thursday, February 26th. If you are interested, please let Jim Fleming know. Come and join us, and feel free to bring along your favorite game!
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DATE CHANGE - Dedication of St. Andrew's Lutheran Campus Center
on Sunday, March 1, 2026
You're invited to a potluck dinner and a service of dedication and blessing on Sunday, March 1, 2026, as St. Andrew's celebrates its new campus ministry space at 909 South Wright Street, Champaign. Please bring a side or dessert to share and join us for dinner at 5:45 p.m. followed by worship at 7:00 p.m. with Bishop Greg Busboom preaching. Tours of the building will be offered starting at 5:00 p.m. as folks arrive.
Please arrive early to find parking next door at the University YMCA or along the nearby streets. If you need accessible parking, a limited number of spots are available in the parking garage.
Please contact office@lutherancampuscenter.org with any questions.
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Nominate Young Musicians for
Lutheran Summer Music
Now is the time to nominate students for LSM 2026. Enrollment for next summer is filling quickly, and we expect most remaining spots to be filled by the March 1 standard enrollment deadline. At LSM, students connect advanced musical study with worship and the joy of Lutheran church music traditions. We welcome musicians on all instruments — brass, woodwinds, strings, percussion, piano, organ, voice, and harp — to study with nationally recognized faculty in a welcoming and supportive community.
LSM 2026 takes place at St. Olaf College from June 21–July 19, 2026. Know a young musician (grades 8–12) who would thrive at LSM?
Nominate them today at LSMacademy.org/nominate.
Questions? Contact admissions@lutheransummermusic.org.
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10:00am Food for Seniors (Fellowship Hall)
7:00pm Bell Choir Rehearsal (Choir Loft)
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6:00pm Lenten Soup Supper (Narthex)
7:00pm Lenten Midweek Service (Sanctuary)
7:30pm Choir Rehearsal (Choir Room)
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10:00am Food Pantry (Fellowship Hall)
6:00pm Game Night (Narthex)
7:00pm On the Way Bible Study (Chapel)
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9:30am Worship - In Person & Live Stream (Sanctuary)
10:45am Property Committee (Chapel)
11:00am Adult Sunday School (Hoffmeister Room)
12:00pm Women's AA (Hoffmeister Room)
5:45pm St. Andrew's Dedication Dinner & Opening Worship (St. Andrew's Lutheran Campus Center, 909 S. Wright St, Champaign, IL 61820)
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Prayer Requests
We have two formal ways of praying for one another at Grace. One is in the Sunday morning worship service, where we pray for people by name in the Prayers of Intercession. They will also be listed in the emailed and printed versions of GraceNotes, but not in the web version. Please send prayer requests for the Sunday-morning prayers to office@glccu.org. You may also submit prayer requests on our website at https://glccu.org/prayer-requests/.
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Using GLC Facilities
Our facilities are available for use by members and by outside groups. If you would like to use any part of the facility, please fill out a Facilities Use Request, found on the web site, and contact Karen in the office to ensure that it is on the calendar, so that the space is ready for you and that you are aware of how to adjust the appropriate thermostat.
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