As we enter the Lenten season, it is a good time to choose how we will use this Lent to further our growth, build our faith, and strengthen our commitment to being the Body of Christ. First Church Lay Leader Pat Mosley has prepared a powerful resource for our Lenten discipline called “A Walk Through Lent.” We will make this available to the congregations, and I strongly encourage you to accept this challenge. I know that you will find it a great blessing.
In addition to Pat’s offering, we will be using a playlist of pop songs to help guide our contemplation during worship for Lent. We will hear one of these songs in each worship service throughout the Lenten season. This is unusual, but God is found in many places and through many means. One of the things that we can learn from this is to experience God in unexpected places and in unexpected ways, to discover that God is present in all things and everywhere.
God is good, and God is always reaching out to us. There is so much noise and so many distractions in the world that it is easy to overlook the loving grace that constantly surrounds us. I believe that God’s grace is powerful. I believe that God’s grace is transformative. I believe that God’s grace enables us to do more and be more than we can ever comprehend.
This Lent, pay attention to what God is doing. Look for the signs of God’s grace all around us. Let God’s grace sustain us and help us to continue this long journey that we call life. Commit yourself to the path that we are on, individually and as churches. I know that the results of both paths may seem slow, and we may not always understand, but I believe that if we have faith, pray, and practice the spiritual disciplines this Lent and beyond, all will be well.
In preparation for forming a new church, we are implementing a new church software system complete with a new church website. We are doing this in two phases, beginning with First Church (because First’s current system is easier to move to the new system), then combining Woodmar into it in the near future. It won’t be “live” until we have a new name, but you can access the test website now. I mention this because you can listen to our Lenten playlist on that website. It can be accessed at fwum.org. The Lenten playlist is available at fwum.org/page/836?Item=85. If you do visit the “test” site, please know that it is a work in progress, and the content is incomplete.
May your Lenten journey bring you closer to Christ, bring us closer together, and give us all an assurance of hope for our future.
Blessings,
Jim
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