Lent is a 40-day church season, patterned after Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness. There are five Sundays in Lent that do not count toward those 40 days; Martin Luther proclaimed those as 'little Easters' within a season of repentance. During Lent we are invited to carry out the Lenten disciplines of fasting, prayer, and works of love.
Worship
We worship more often as a community during Lent - on Wednesday evenings we have a relatively short, meditative worship service at 7pm. We also do a simple community supper before those at 6:15pm on Wednesdays. All are welcome to these things.
Wednesday worships in Lent this year: Feb 17, Mar 24, Mar 2, Mar 9, Mar 16
Sunday worship continues, with Holy Communion every Sunday, at 10:15am. All are welcome.
Holy Week
Holy Week is the final week of Lent, culminating in Easter Sunday, which makes it one of the holiest weeks of the year as we contemplate the final days of Christ's earthly life.
Holy Week begins with Passion Sunday on Mar 20, where we remember Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem to complete the work of our salvation. We follow in his footsteps as we enter the church, acclaiming the one whose throne was the cross. Then we transition mid-worship and hear the Passion narrative of Jesus' suffering, death, and burial for our sakes.
The other days we mark in Holy Week are Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, or the Easter Vigil. Together these three make up the Three Days during which we participate once again in the saving power of Jesus' passing over from death into life.
The Maundy Thursday service includes the words of Jesus' new commandment to love one another (commandment, from the Latin mandatum, from which Maundy comes). As a sign of our calling to follow Jesus' example of humility and service, we may wash one another's feet (or hands) as Jesus washed the disciples' feet. On this night in which Jesus was handed over to death we also gather around the Lord's supper. At the service's conclusion, the altar area may be stripped of furnishings as a sign of Jesus' abandonment. (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 249)
The Good Friday service continues the journey throughout the Three Days of Jesus' suffering, death, and resurrection. At the heart of this service is the passion reading according to the Gospel of John, which celebrates Christ's victory on the cross. As Jesus draws all people to himself, we pray for the whole world for which Christ died. Finally, we honor the cross as the sign of forgiveness, healing, and salvation. With all God's people we are invited to bow before this mystery of faith. Christ has died, so that we may live. (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 249)
The Easter Vigil service is new for our community this year. On this night before Easter Day, Christians around the world gather to celebrate Christ's passion from death to life. The service includes strong signs: new fire in darkness, light spreading from the light of Christ, the water and Word of baptism, the first resurrection meal. And powerful words: the great saving stories of Hebrew scriptures and the first Easter gospel. We keep this wondrous night in the spirit of vigil, our lamps lit, awaiting Christ's coming both now and at the end of time. Alleluia! Christ is risen! And Christ will come again. (Evangelical Lutheran Worship, p. 250)
We worship on all of these days as a community. Come and join us and experience the holiness of this time with us.
Passion Sunday, March 20 @ 10:15am
Maundy Thursday, March 24 @ 7pm
Good Friday, March 25 @ 7pm
Easter Vigil, March 26 @ 7:00pm
Easter Sunday, March 27 @ 10:15am
Lent Disciplines
During Lent we strive to practice the disciplines of Lent set forth by Jesus in Matthew 6: that of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. Some church traditions practice giving up things for Lent (part of fasting); others practice taking something on. Things to give up might include the things that keep you from doing God's work or being the person God has called you to be, one that brings love and light to the world. Things to take on might also include those sorts of things, like taking food from your pantry over the 40 days to donate to a local food pantry, or instead of buying that soda or coffee everyday to give that money to people in need around the world. You could also take on a rededication to prayer in your life, or almsgiving - giving our money, that which is God's to begin with, to God.
If you would like other ideas for Lenten practices, please check out these links!
40 Ideas for Lent by Rachel Held Evans
40 Ideas for Keeping a Holy Lent from House For All Sinners and Saints in Denver, CO
Audio Devotions based on the music of Peter Mayer and written by Pr. Ron Glusenkamp of Denver, CO
Daily Devotion with a short scripture reading, brief thought, and prayer