LENT: Taking Up Faith Practices
from ELCA’s Living Lutheran blog (2/19/2015)
Ash Wednesday (February 14, 2018) marks the beginning of Lent, a season when God calls us to reflect on the meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection. The imposition of ashes – when you receive ashes in the sign of the cross on your forehead – sets the tone for Lent. Each moment you encounter your reflection, your ashes are a striking reminder that “you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19b). But the cross, a symbol of Jesus’ crucifixion, offers hope.
Similarly, in baptism, you received the sign of the cross on your forehead. Many of us begin our Christian life with baptism, called “to live among God’s faithful people, to hear the word of God and share in the Lord’s supper, to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, to serve all people, following the example of Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth.” In the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America – our parent church), we describe these instructions as faith practices to guide our daily living. But what do faith practices mean? And how do we practice them?
This Lent, as you begin your journey toward the baptismal waters of Easter, we at ELCA invite you to take up faith practices as a spiritual discipline.
Lenten resources…
- Don’t Forget to Pray – Kid-friendly devotional that you can download for free.
- Set Free By Truth – Lent devotions offered by four church leaders.
- Faith Practices in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: Living Our Baptismal Covenant – a downloadable resource on faith practices of our church
- Luther Seminary offers a short daily Lenten Devotionals entitled “Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow“
- Several Synods of the ELCA have come to gather to offer a daily Facebook devotional page entitled Lenten Photo a Day
- Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg offers Daily Lenten Prayers
- Lords Prayer Words: Traditional & Contemporary Prayers.
Lenten Worship Opportunities
In addition to Sunday morning worship at 9:30 a.m., we will gather for special Lenten and Holy Week worship opportunities. All are welcome at Christ Lutheran Church. You do not need to be a church member or a Lutheran to receive the sacraments here – follow God’s call to you.
Ash Wednesday – February 14
- Worship at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 14
- Includes Holy Communion and Imposition of Ashes
Wednesday Lenten Soup Suppers
6 p.m. – Soup Supper is shared
6:30 – 7:15 p.m. – Education lead by ministry partners
7:15 p.m. – Evening Prayer
- Wed., February 21 – Lake County Haven
- Wed., February 28 – Love, Inc
- Wed., March 7 – PADS Lake County
- Wed., March 14 – ELCA World Hunger
- Wed., March 21 – What is Our Response?
Holy Week Worship:
- Palm Sunday, March 25 at 9:30 a.m.
- Maundy Thursday, March 29 at 7 p.m.
- Good Friday, March 30 at 7 p.m.
- Easter Sunday, April 1 at 9:30 a.m. followed by brunch for all!
