Text Box: Dear Friends: Perhaps this March newsletter will arrive in your mailbox as early as Wednesday, February 17. That would represent optimum timing, because it would be another last-minute reminder that the season of Lent begins with confession and forgiveness, imposition of ashes, and the Lord’s Supper at either 4:30 or 7:00 p.m. that evening. Each Ash Wednesday we hear St Paul’s reminder to the Corinthians: “See, now is the acceptable time! See, now is the day of salvation!” (2 Corinthians 6:2). This dual exclamation is read so that the weeks of Lent begin with an urgent entreaty for us to not squander the opportunity to enter the journey! [This year, especially, it is wise to enter in with strong Text Box: Volume 53, Number 3 Text Box: From the desk of Pastor Steve Text Box: March 2010

First Reminder
Text Box: DO YOU KNOW THE FOUR KEYS? Hint—check out the kid faith page Text Box: Current Key focus: Rituals & Traditions: what are the rituals that bring your household closer together, help you celebrate Text Box: occasions, or are just unique ways of how you live your life together? Please share a ritual or tradition that you have & either Text Box: email Pastor Leta (leta.behrens@firstluth.org) or put it up on our bulletin board. Text Box: Caption describing

Mailed February  16, 2010

Rooted first in

worship, learning and

hospitality,

we are sent forth in the power of the Holy Spirit, to

witness to Christ and to serve others, both in our households and in the wider community.

Pastor's Message

Council Page

Kidfaith

Youth

Family

Women

Women II

Social Justice

Social Justice II

Health

Volunteers

Bits & Pieces

Appreciations

Birthdays

Calendar

Back Cover

participation from the beginning of the season, because in a coincidence of calendars the local school district’s spring break comes right over the time of Holy Week.]  Paul is saying, “Be reconciled with God; live out the message of reconciliation which is ours through the death and resurrection of Christ.” As a nearby verse summarizes so well: “And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves, but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (5:15).

Lent is a time to practice some disciplines that remind us of this call to live for more

than ourselves . . . that is, for the good news of life in Christ.

       The discipline of prayer and fasting is encouraged with the six Wednesday worship opportunities, starting with Ash Wednesday Communion and leading into the succeeding weeks of Evening Prayer. “Taking Faith Home,” which gives suggestions for daily prayer and other ways to nurture faith in our households, will also be utilized in conjunction with the Sundays in Lent.

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