Grace and Peace Beloved St. Lukers,
Have you ever taken a big trip? Do you remember your first time leaving the state, leaving the country, or maybe on a cruise or your first hiking trip? Have you ever been on a trip and realized you forgot something? I remember a family trip one summer and we were headed home. We had stopped at a diner for dinner and my siblings and I were now fast asleep in the back when suddenly the car came to a stop and my dad turned the car around and drove the 20+ minutes back to the diner. We had forgotten something. Has that ever happened to you? Where you have to go all the way back and start all over again?
We are now one week into our Lenten journey. One great thing about the Lent is that, unlike a physical journey, you can start right where you are, right when you are. You don’t have to go back to the start. You don’t have to start on Ash Wednesday. You can start right now. You can grab your Bible and your Lenten Guide (click here to view/download a PDF version) and start reading right now. You can begin to pray for your family, friends, neighbors, and enemies. You can join one of our many Lenten studies even if they have already started (click here to see the full list of groups and studies through Lent). You can decide that you and your family are going to be in worship every Sunday for the rest of Lent. You don’t have to go back. You don’t have to wait until next year. You can start your Lenten journey right here, right now. And we hope you will, with intention, with purpose. All during Lent we are looking at how God’s love for us, through Jesus Christ, is Love on Purpose. God came into humanity as Jesus with purpose with intention, and Jesus journeyed through life and toward Jerusalem with great love and great purpose. And we are invited to join him on that purposeful journey.
So sign up, show up. Jump in and join us…for classes, service projects, and worship.
One great opportunity that will be powerful is happening this Sunday (February 25). We are kicking off our new PurposeFull Conversations, which are intentional, purposeful, and loving conversations over a meal. Join us for Blended worship at 11:15 a.m. in the Sanctuary, then head over to Founder’s Hall to enjoy lunch, catered by Natez, and dive into our first topic: Black History Month. You can still RSVP by clicking here. Let’s break bread and build bridges.
We will see you Sunday,
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Jad