Grace and peace to you in this holy season of Lent.
Lent is already upon us. We have begun the journey toward the cross — a journey of reflection, repentance, prayer, and renewal. God invites us to slow down, to listen deeply, and to open ourselves to the Spirit’s transforming work.
Throughout this sacred season, I invite you to stay after worship beginning
**March 8** for a time of guided, prayerful conversation. Together, we will engage the “Courageous Congregation” themes we are exploring in worship: **grief,
discerning purpose, working together, sharing power, and re-imagining how we do ministry together.**
As an older congregation of The United Methodist Church, we carry deep faith and long memory. We have known seasons of growth and seasons of loss. We have celebrated baptisms and mourned saints. We have adapted before — and through every chapter, God remains faithful.
During these Lenten gatherings, we will:
*Name our grief honestly* — acknowledging losses while trusting God’s comfort.
*Clarify our purpose* — asking what God is calling us to be and to do.
*Strengthen how we work together* — honoring the gifts and wisdom among us.
*Practice sharing power* — making room for every voice the Spirit may use.
*Imagining possibilities Ministry* — discerning not who we once were, but who God is shaping us to become.
Lent reminds us that God meets us not only in our strength, but in our vulnerability. The cross teaches us that surrender can lead to resurrection. Even now, God is doing a new thing among us.
These after-worship gatherings will not be business meetings, but sacred conversations — grounded in prayer, guided by love, and shaped by hope. You do not need to have answers. Simply come with an open heart.
Thank you for your faithfulness, your endurance, and your love for Christ and for one another. I am thankful to walk this Lenten road with you — listening, praying, and discerning together.
May this holy season deepen our trust and renew our courage.
With gratitude and hope,
In Christ,
Pastor Sarah
