Lent is a season of preparation for Easter. It begins on Ash Wednesday and continues for 40 days (excluding Sundays). Often marked by repentance, self-denial, giving up things, and extra work, the real heart of Lent is the call to renew our relationship with God. Lent got it’s beginning as a time to prepare people for baptism. This insight might help us understand the goal of Lent: renewal. All of the disciplines, activities, studies, and worship of lent is meant to lead us to this one act: renewal.

To fully experience the power and joy of Easter requires that we also do the work of preparation during Lent. Traditionally the Church used this period as a time of fasting, self-denial, and education. Lent had its beginnings as a period of instruction for those seeking to be baptized or readmitted to the church community. Hence the emphasis on repentance for sin and growth in the Spirit. Over the centuries the invitation to "keep a holy Lent" was extended to all people not just those preparing for Baptism. And this year, we extend to you the invitation to keep a holy Lent, growing deeper in your spiritual life and preparing for Christ's gift in his death and resurrection.

Special Worship opportunities during Lent, 2012:

• Ash Wednesday, February 22nd, 6:45 PM - This worship service is an invitation to begin lent. Typically it focuses on our own mortality and the reminder that we need God’s help. Worship culminates in the imposition of ashes – an ash cross is marked on the forehead of each participant as they are told “Remember you are dust and to dust you will return.” Time to reflect on our call to renewal is provided.
• Mid-Week Lenten prayer and study, Wednesdays, 6:00 PM - Throughout Lent we gather on Wednesday evenings for worship. You are invited to join us at 6:00 PM for a light soup supper.  Our worship will begin at 6:45.
• Sunday of the Passion, April 1^th, 10:00 AM - On this Sunday, immediately prior to Easter, we observe the Liturgy of the Passion. Because we can not fully celebrate the Resurrection on Easter without also traveling through the passion and death of Christ, on this day we recall the last week of Jesus life – from is triumphal entry into Jerusalem to his crucifixion.  To the Romans, Paul says "For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him" (Romans 6:5-8).  We can only begin to grasp this mystery of our faith if we walk with Christ to the cross before joining him on Easter Sunday.
• Maundy Thursday, April 5^th, 7:00 PM - Remembering the night that Jesus gathered his disciples and those close to him in the upper room for the last supper, washing their feet and comanding them to do likewise, we gather in worship in remembrance and service.
• Good Friday, April 6^th, 7:00 PM - Each year we recall the heart and center of our faith, the Cross of Christ and his sacrifice for us. Good Friday is the opportunity to gather around the cross and pray, offering to Christ our humble sacrifice of praise for the grace he has imparted to us. On this day we read the story of his crucifixion, acknowledge how we turn from God, and profess our longings to return. This is the last worship of Lent, we now await the joy of Easter.
• Easter Morning, April 8^th - On Easter Morning, the darkness of lent breaks open to reveal the glorious joy of Christ's resurrection. With joyful hearts we shout and sing together, "Alleluia Christ is Risen!" Like Christmas Day, Easter is not one day, but an entire season. Easter is not part of Lent but begins a 50 day celebration of joy that ends on Pentecost day.  There are two distinct opportunities to worship on Easter.  First Easter Sunrise, 7:30 AM, followed by breakfast, and then the Celebration of the Resurection at 10:00 AM.

During Lent, you are invited and encouraged to find a way to prepare for Easter. To help you do this we have provided some suggestions and links to online resource.

• Decide to commit to a Lenten discipline. This might be something you give up or something that you take on. Remember that the purpose of your Lenten discipline is to renew your relationship with God. For a sheet of suggestioned Lenten disciplines, click here.
• Discover a new way to pray or try some different ways. 
• Start a Lenten journal. Read scripture and then write your reflections and thoughts down. You may wish to use the weekly scriptures from Sunday worship (see the side bar), a portion of the passion narrative from the Gospels (Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15, Luke 22-23, or John 18-19), or the daily scripture provided on this website.
• Participate in the Lenten Study and worship opportunities described above.
• Some online resources and activities:
  • A Lenten calendar - Provides a different activity or suggestion for each day of lent.  Xt3 also has a lenten Calendar that is available online and as an app for smart phones.
  • Lenten Suggestions - A list of ideas and activities for Lent.
  • Ideas for helping children observe lent - Various ideas for how to observe lent with children of all ages.
  • Lenten Devotions - A reflection for each day of Lent provided by Lutheran Hour Ministries.
  • Lent explained - Learn more about the history of Lent and how Christians of different traditions observe it.
  • Why Lent - A series of blog posts Pastor Bryan wrote about Lent and what we do in Lent.