LENT 2022

We believe that God wants to deepen our love for God and for our neighbor in 2022, but first our hearts must be softened in God’s presence. Biblically, one of the greatest tools God uses to accomplish this softening is through the spiritual practice of fasting. Seasons of fasting help us to eliminate the noise and distractions from our lives in order for us to seek God with greater intensity. As we enter into this season of Lent, we desire to deepen our communion with God and with one another by saying “no” to certain things in order so say a much deeper “yes” to the things that truly matter. From Wednesday, March 2 through Easter Sunday, April 17 our church family will be engaging in a season of fasting and prayer together. We enter this season with great expectation that we will encounter the transforming power of God in our individual lives, and in our life together as a community.

HOW TO ENGAGE:

  1. Join us for our Ash Wednesday service to kick off this Lenten season together. We will be meeting at 418 E 11th St. at 7pm.

  2. Read through the daily devotional A Way Other Than Our Own: Devotions for Lent by Walter Brueggemann. We will be handing out copies of the book, as well as journals, at church. See Pastor Drew or Pastor Chelsea if you need a copy. In addition to journaling about how God is coming to you through your reading, we invite you to share in Slack with the community.

  3. As another reading option for each Sunday of Lent, which are meant to be feast days, read Mary Oliver and the Poetry of Lent. Download HERE.

  4. Serve with City Relief at Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Available dates are: March 17, March 24, and March 31. Email Pastor Drew if you are interested in serving.

  5. Prayerfully consider which fast God might be inviting you to do, and consult a physician if your health requires, before you begin.

    1. Partial Fast - This fast involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sunup to sundown.

    2. Soul Fast - This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting food, have health issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance. For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast.