Feb 2008

Lent Already?

I’m still putting away the Christmas decorations and yet, I have spent several hours this week planning worship and teaching opportunities for Lent and Easter! That’s right … Lent and Easter! This year, Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent is Wed., Feb. 6th with Easter on Sun., Mar. 23rd. This is about as early as Easter can ever be.

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on the Saturday before Easter. The word Lent comes from the word lencten, which means spring, the time of the lengthening of day. Lent last 40 days, not counting Sundays.

Why 40 days? Jesus was in the wilderness 40 days facing temptation and discerning the kind of ministry God

intended for him. In Scripture, 40 days or 40 years is often the duration of a time of repentance, fasting or vigil.

Examples are the Hebrews wandering in the wilderness for 40 years after leaving Egypt and before entering into the Promised Land. Jonah preached that Nineveh would be destroyed in 40 days. The Risen Christ appeared to his followers for 40 days before his ascension.

We think of Lent as a time of self-examination and repentance, of prayer and self-denial, of reading and Bible study, of mediation on Jesus life and death and of giving oneself to others, especially those who suffer and are in need. In our busy lives today, Lent is an opportunity to slow down, take time for reflection and renewal.

Midland UMC’s worship services during Lent are specifically designed to encourage each of us to GROW in personal faith. This is our theme for Lent this year. We will begin the Lenten Season with a special Ash Wednesday worship service on Wed., Feb. 6th at 7 PM. In addition, there will be Wednesday Soup and Lenten Studies during Lent for us to take time to deepen our faith. Please look for additional information in this newsletter which gives more specific information about these opportunities.

On another note – thank you to the many people who participated in the Lay Leadership Training event on Sat., Jan. 5th. About 30 people who have volunteered to serve in specific ministry areas participated in this half-day training event. There are many new people who are involved in various ministry areas this year. To help people know who is serving on committees and within a specific ministry area, please look for the "Lay Leadership Report" sheet that is included in this newsletter. We are including this so that everyone will know who is serving in all the various ministry areas. A special thank you to Donna Randall, Rhonda Loger and Mackensey Loger for helping organize the Lay Leadership Training event. I’m looking forward to a fun and exciting year of ministry at Midland UMC!

As we prepare for Lent, I pray that each one of us will reflect personally on ways that we can make a bit more time to spend with the Lord during Lent.

See you in Sunday worship!

Pastor Dianne