Dear St. Lukers,
Today the world sits breathless as we process the events that are currently unfolding in Ukraine. Multiple cities bombed, airspace cleared, troops moving in…it’s a scene that is almost impossible for most of us to imagine outside of history books and documentaries. And yet, it is the reality for the people of Ukraine today and for some time to come.
While we will seek out opportunities for action in the days to come, our first action as followers of Christ is to turn to God in prayer, so with the world and with this prayer from the British Methodist Church, we pray together…
Dear Lord, author of all peace who through your son reconciled us to yourself, we pray for peace in our world at a time of heightened tensions.
We pray
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- for our governments and political leaders – for wise counsel and sound initiative to defuse tension
- for diplomats – that they may have space to negotiate
- for the people of Ukraine – that their close ties with the people of Russia and other neighbors will remain strong even in the face of military threat
We pray that all governments commit time to dialogue and understanding, respect the will and freedom of all peoples, invest in welfare and alleviation of poverty, and reject militarism and the threat of violence.
May Christ’s teaching and example be our inspiration, may hearts and minds be changed, and may your holy spirit be at work transforming each of us day by day, through your everlasting grace and mercy, Amen.
It is with this prayer that we move toward another Sunday together in worship, but also toward a new season in the life of the church.
When I began serving at St. Luke’s nearly four years ago, one of the questions I asked as I took on the role of Minister of Worship was “What have been some of the most powerful moments for you in worship at St. Luke’s?” I wanted to get a sense of what moved St. Lukers, how you all engaged with your faith through worship, and what worship experiences were the most memorable in a way that helped you grow deeper in your love of God, love of one another, and calling to transform the world.
Again and again, the answers I got all seemed to center around one season: Lent. There’s something about St. Luke’s and the season of Lent. It’s something I haven’t seen in many Methodist churches – in my experience, we are more Advent-oriented people! And yet, there’s something special about how St. Luke’s does Lent.
We’ve had a couple of years of unusual Lents. In 2020, we entered a global pandemic soon after Ash Wednesday had ushered the season in. I commented then that “This is the Lentiest Lent that ever Lented.” And in some ways, it feels like that Lent has never ended – we still struggle with pandemic life, but also are looking for ways to reclaim a new normal and find our rhythm again as individuals, families, and a community.
As we approach what seems to be at least some sort of light at the end of the tunnel with numbers going down, we are approaching another Ash Wednesday…and another Lenten season. For a lot of us, the regular pattern of coming to worship each week has shifted. Every pattern in our lives has shifted over the last couple of years, so it makes sense that this one might have as well. If that’s you, I want to extend a specific invitation to you to let Lent be your opportunity for resurrection.
You see, this year, while Lent will still be a deep, intense opportunity for self-reflection, for letting go of things that hold us back from deeper discipleship, our entire Lenten experience is going to be focused on moving toward resurrection. Not just this year’s Resurrection Sunday (which we’ll be back home for in our very own Sanctuary and Founder’s Hall spaces), but the resurrection you need in your life – maybe your first feeling of resurrection in nearly two years.
This Lent, we are going to be “Dying to Live,” looking at all the things Jesus invites us to let go of – to die to – in order to fully know and experience the fullness of resurrection, not just on Easter, but again and again in our lives.
We’ll begin on Ash Wednesday as we look at Jesus’ call to join him on the journey to the cross.
If you are ready to join in on the journey, don’t miss our Ash Wednesday service on Wednesday, March 2, at 7:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary (face coverings optional), or watch live on our Facebook page. Starting March 2, in each worship venue you can pick up a Lent Devotion Guide that will have daily readings to help guide you through the season. If you’re a family with children, you can also get a special box of goodies to share Lent together at home. These boxes will be available in the Children’s Ministry welcome area in Building A starting on March 2. You are invited to take one and complete some or all of the activities through Lent as they help you focus on Jesus’ radical love and forgiveness.
So, will you join him? Will you join me? Will you join together in this, the season St. Luke’s loves the most, and take this opportunity to find resurrection in your life? See you Sunday, and then on Ash Wednesday as we take this journey together.
Blessings,
Pastor Melissa