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Fellow Pilgrims,
Modeled after the forty days our Lord Jesus spent in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13), the Season of Lent is traditionally a period where Christians practice acts of self-denial, surrender, and sacrifice in an effort to prepare our hearts for the glorious day of Easter.
Unfortunately, Lent is often associated with avoiding sweet treats or not eating meat on particular days of the week. No disrespect to those who practice Lent in those ways, but Lent is much more than a spiritual diet plan. This season really is a time for inward reflection, for confession and reconciliation, and for a return to the simple things of life and faith. To help us focus our gaze, our Lenten worship series is entitled The Gift of Simplicity based on the old Shaker hymn “Simple Gifts.”
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gain'd,
To bow and to bend we will not be asham'd,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come round right.
To practice this gift of simplicity as a community, I will be leading, over four weeks, midweek Table Fellowship gatherings which is a liturgical meal that will include a simple soup, reflections on scripture, and the sacrament of Holy Communion. There is more information below that notes the dates and time. Please note that this meal will alternate each week between dinner and lunch to accommodate those who work and don’t drive after dark.
Lastly, this year we are partnering with our siblings at Bethel Lutheran Church and Incarnation Anglican Church for our Ash Wednesday and Holy Week services that are also listed below. Be sure to note the location as some services will be held in our sanctuary and others in the Bethel sanctuary (1050 Douglas Blvd., Roseville).
As part of this ecumenical cooperation, the three congregations are invited to support what we are calling Alms for The Gathering Inn. Almsgiving is a religious practice and act of sacrificial love that manifests in caring for the poor and those with need. After speaking with The Gathering Inn about their current needs, the pastors identified their need for a new commercial fridge as the designation for this year’s alms. The invitation this season is for us to think of things we can surrender – ordering a cup of coffee, getting take-out, etc. – and how those funds could be prayerfully used to bless those in need.
These alms will be collected at our Ash Wednesday and Holy Week services, the Table Fellowship gatherings, and there will be a special basket for them, aside from our regular offering, during the Sunday worship services in Lent. If you are writing a check, please write it First UMC Roseville with "Alms for TGI" on the notation line.
I am encouraged to know that we have this community to journey this road together. May you, this Season of Lent, slow down and embrace the gift of simplicity, free from all distractions, temptations, and even hesitations. Know that you - as you are and as God made you - are enough.
Pastor Angel
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