Words From The Pastor - February - March 2015

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me...Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.”
Psalm 51: 10, 12

Once again we come to the season of the church calendar called “Lent.” Someone once told me that Ash Wednesday is important because it’s her final deadline to put the Christmas decorations away.  Thankfully, Lent doesn’t come with more decorations, parties, and gifts. Lent comes with ashes as a sign of repentance. No, there are no superficial celebrations during Lent. It’s all about looking within and seeing where we might change our attitudes and where we can move closer to becoming all God would have us be.

We need the season of Lent every year for we are often blind to our shortcomings. Life is a journey and every year, if we are willing and humble enough, we may see something new about ourselves where we fall short. Realizing we have fallen short,” by the way, is a kind of success as it can provide a place to turn around and to move in a new direction with God’s help.

The great King David came to a place like this. The prophet Nathen confronted him with his sins caused by selfishness and David realized his need to repent. He prayed for a “clean heart,” and that God would give him a “willing spirit.”

Join us during Lent for 10:45 am Sunday worship. Join us Wednesdays at noon for Soup and Discussion based on topics from the 2015 UCC Lenten devotional booklet (Ash Wednesday, February 18^th through March 25^th).Join us for Tuesday night, 7:00 pm, Bible Study as we have a lively discussion of the Book of Genesis.

And may we all enter Lent praying for a “clean heart” and a “willing spirit.” For, if we do, we will make progress on the path of serving Christ, loving others, and finding a new joy and sense of purpose.

Blessings,

Pastor Jeff