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What is Lent all about?

In the early church the only "holiday" was Easter, when the church gathered to celebrate what God had done in raising Jesus from the dead.  As the church grew in numbers of converts, the need for a time of preparation arose.  Specifically, the church wanted a time to focus on what being a disciple of Jesus Christ meant, and to prepare hearts and minds for Easter.  The church turned to Scripture and found the number 40 in many such experiences.  The Israelites traveled 40 years in the wilderness; Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness as a cleansing and preparation.  As such, the season of Lent began as a season of 40 day - plus 6 Sundays - where followers of Christ were intentional about deepening their relationship with God and each other. 

Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means, "Spring."  It begins with Ash Wednesday, a day to remember that we come from the dust, and to the dust we will return.  Moreover, the day calls to mind our sinfulness and ways we have turned away from God.  As such, it is customary to use Psalm 51 as a Psalm of Confession.  The ashes are a traditional sign of repentance and we have mixed them with oil, a traditinoal sign of blessing and healing, reminding us that God loves us in Christ, "even while we are yet sinners."

Ash Wednesday

We had a pancake dinner on Ash Wednesday, February 17, from  6 – 7pm. The dinner was served by those who give of their time at SOME once a month and donations benefited our Mission Trips. 

A worship service followed at 7:15pm, all were welcome.
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