Hope is here. Love is here. Family is here. Around here this year as I enter each meeting, service of worship or liturgical season I am keeping before me our theme: Hope is here. Love is here. Family is here. and asking how this theme will be elevated, enriched and embraced more fully by me (personally) and the ministry we share (collectively).
The Season of Lent gives us a 6 week opportunity to focus, with intention, on this theme and the biblical examples that support our uplifting of these ideas in the context of our personal discipleship and our collective vision for ministry.
The Wesleyan “Means of Grace” “MOG” (everyday ways God’s grace becomes evident to us through the natural world, other people and through the Holy Spirit) is one pathway for us to journey this Lent. Through prayer, searching the Scriptures, receiving the Lord’s Supper, fasting and joining with other Christians for mutual nurture and accountability we can more deeply appreciate the diversity and beauty of hope, love and family around us.
Whether you’re in a good place or traversing a tough terrain, ALL of us need hope, love and a community in which to belong and connect. God continually calls us ALL to reach both up and out (sign of the cross) as God’s people, to our enemies, our neighbors, ourselves and to God.
Our Lenten weeks have been planned to facilitate the practice of the means of grace with the guidance of themed worship using #LivingStone.
There will be a MOG insert or section in the bulletin each week that will prompt your personal practice stemming from the themed experience of worship and focused on our church theme. You are encouraged to use this tool for your personal devotional time or to consider joining with a small group of friends or “pew-mates” for one hour of accountable conversation each week.
Lent is my favorite time of year! I look forward to wonderful worship, meaningful conversations, joy-filled service and deep times of personal prayer as I journey in faith these 40 days.
Join me! Peace to each of you,
Pastor Kelly