LENTEN SCHEDULE
Lent Begins on Ash Wednesday, February 22
Ash Wednesday at Cross of Glory
Prayer, Confession, Assurance
Receive Ashes on Your Forehead in the Sign of the Cross
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday Lenten Services at Cross of Glory
March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 12:00 Noon
Lent means “Spring”, a time for renewal and growth. In liturgical churches, Lent, that 40-Day before Easter period of fasting and repentance, prayer and devotion, has historically been sacred and set-aside as great opportunity to grow in faith.
But honestly, Lent observance at Cross of Glory these last years has been challenging indeed. It snowed on EVERY Lenten Wednesday last year, keeping worshippers away… not to mention that increasingly, it is difficult for many in our congregation to drive at night. Our attendance for Lent these last years at church has been… sad.
Let’s do something different this year.
In the hope that many who otherwise could not come to a Lenten Wednesday “night” service, might instead, in devotion to Christ, His Church and the Scriptures, attend and embrace Lent DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, we will be offering Lenten Wednesday services to our membership and our Cook Park neighbors at NOON beginning the Wednesday after Ash Wednesday. Hopefully, we can catch some area business people who could worship with us over their lunch hour. Of course, we will strive to Zoom our Wednesday Lenten services for those who simply cannot attend church in person.
Ash Wednesday will look different this year also. Instead of coming to Cross of Glory at night for a service, I will be at the church from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM that day, Wednesday, February 22ND. We will put on our outdoor Cross of Glory sign an invitation for neighbors to come to church for prayer, for confession, for assurance, for ashes during those hours. You may come to Cross of Glory during that time also. Like me, you then could attend church SOMEWHERE that evening if you chose to attend an in-person Ash Wednesday worship service.
The themes for the 12:00 Noon Wednesday services will be:
Wednesday, March 1: Lent… How Will Your Garden Grow?
Wednesday, March 8: “R” you “R”eady for “R”edemption?
Wednesday, March 15: The “Ides” of “Idle”… the “Ides” of “Idol”
Wednesday, March 22: Mindless Spiritual Disciplines”
Wednesday, March 29: Girth Grace
Soon, I will decide with your Music and Worship Committee at church what Holy Week will look like as we have Maundy Thursday and Good Friday observance. I know that Easter Sunday, April 9, I want to have our 7:30 AM Sunrise Service, before our 8:30 Easter Breakfast/Cook Park Easter Egg Hunt and 10:00 AM Easter Celebration Worship, OUTDOORS if at all possible, visible to our community. This year at Cross of Glory, we will be doing a number of things a bit differently as we “Reach Out Lovingly to Others” while “Rejoicing in God’s Grace”.
Be a part. Be the difference. Be Lent-livers. Do not give up Lent… for Lent. Thank you, Cross of Glory.