Lent is the time of preparation leading up to Easter.  It begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts 40 days.  Why 40 days?  The length recalls both Jesus' 40 day fast in the wilderness and Moses' 40 fast on Mount Sinai.

Lent is a time of penitence, baptismal renewal and preparation, prayer, fasting, service and confession.  However, we do not fast on the Sabbath, the Lord's day.  So, Lent is really a 46 day season, with 40 days of fasting. 

Lent is not required anywhere in the scriptures, but it has been a Christain custom since the mid fourth century.  It is our time of fasting.

Wednesday evening worship - 4:30 and 7:00 PM 

In Lent will draw on our partnerships around the world in global mission.  Many themes and devotions in worship will be taken from the ELCA’s global mission resources for worship in Lent.  Each week draws on lessons and reflections from a different ELCA mission site around the world.  Check out the map to get an idea of the diverse places the ELCA works around the world. 

20% of Lent worship offerings will go to directly support the global missions of the ELCA.

Ash Wednesday, February 17 - Africa

Speaker: - Pr. Paul Judson

Learn about celebrating Ash Wednesday in Africa

 Readings:
 Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10
Matthew  6:1-6, 16-21

February 24 - Japan

Speaker: - Gus Brockmann
A look at how the ELCA works with the Japanese Lutheran church to provide service to the poor.

 Reading: - Job 1:1-5, 13-22

March 3 - Palestine

Speaker: - Terry Hersmeyer
Terry is traveling to the Holy Land in February 2010. She is Pastor at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Anton, CO and a Chaplin at Exempla Medical Center.

 Readings: Acts 10:24-26 & Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

March 10 - Haiti

Speaker: - Laura D'Angelo
Laura is an intern from Trinity Seminary at Abiding Hope Lutheran church in Littleton.  She was in Haiti during the recent earthquake.

 Readings: TBA

 March 17 - Chile

Speaker: - Pastor Steve Berke

Learning to apply the loaves and fishes in today's world with the help of Rosa Quintanilla, from Santiago, Chile.

 Reading: Luke 9:10-17

 March 24 - India

Speaker: - Pr. Paul Judson
Learning about palliative care in south India, which has helped thousands of patients and families over the last 8 years.

Reading: - John 5:2-9

Come to supper each week during Lent!  Supper is served from 5:15 to 6:45 in the Big Room.

 Each week we will have a running slideshow of pictures from the featured country projected on the screen for you to view while you eat.

 Would you like to help with the meals?  Check out the bulletin board near the front glass doors to sign up.  We need help with set-up, clean-up and everything in between.  We are also asking people to bring food to share this year.  Each week will have a menu of items to bring (like chicken soup or lasagna).

Don’t miss this great opportunity to catch up with old friends, make new friends and share in a meal with your church community.

Lent is a season of spiritual renewal, and refocusing on what is important in our lives.  We have put together several rituals and resources to help you on your Lenten journey.  Check out the links to the right to learn more about Sunday Worship in Lent, why we don't say Alleluia in Lent, and much more!

The Lent planning team members are Lisa Burgesser, Elise Eidsness, Kris Ferril, Greg Wagner, Pastor Steve Berke, and Gus Brockmann.

Confession

As part of the self-renewal of the season, each week in Lent the confession will focus on a different question for self examination.  Each question is accompanied by a prayer for the week to help you examine specific areas of you spiritual life.  The questions will be on the Taking Faith Home Sheet and on the Staff Blog, (see "Get Connected")

Alleluia

We "fast" from Alleluias in worship during Lent.  We save the joyful sounds of Alleluia for Easter, and it's absence in Lent makes us long for the joy of Easter!  We buried our Alleluias in a large trunk on the first Sunday in Lent, come back on Easter to see them rise up, and shout ALLELUIA with us! 

A congregational service project!  The idea of Plant a Row is to grow vegetables for a local food bank.  The Sunday School children have started cucumber, pepper, eggplant and tomato seeds, about 100 total.  We will tend the plants through Lent and into the Easter season. 

Once the seedlings are large enough, we will ask volunteer households to take plants home and tend them over the summer. 

When the veggies are ready, we will harvest them and donate the fresh produce to local food banks.  Have fun watching our plants grow!

During Lent, we encourage you to find new ways to connect to the church community.  The newest way is the Staff Blog.  You can respond to the weekly confession questions, see Rituals and Traditions and more!

Would you rather use a pen instead of a keyboard?  Post your Rituals and Traditions on the board by the office, and write your Lenten reflections on the paper in the Narthex.  We'd love to hear from you!

Along with fasting - Lent is a time to practice spiritual discipline.  We have put together a Lent covenant sheet with several ideas for how to renew your spirit and you relationships.  The ideas are categorized  into a "4 Keys" format; Caring Conversation, Rituals and Traditions, Service, and Devotions. 

Download a copy of the sheet.