Message from Reverend Amy at the start of Lent . . . .
This week, we make our transition from Epiphany to the season of Lent – the 40 days (not counting Sundays) that precede Easter. During this season, we are called to reflect on our faith, service and our lives, and to make changes or adjustments that help place us firmly on God’s pathway. In an effort to experience a mindful Lent, many people choose to give something up (chocolate, alcohol, white sugar/flour, some screen-time, or anything that seems to have an unconscious grip upon them). While this can be useful, it is not required, and in my experience, it is only a holy conduit, if as you find yourself reaching for a piece of chocolate you are reminded of your belovedness and you turn toward God. I do not subscribe to the theory that deprivation for deprivation’s sake is among God’s expectations for a Holy Lent.
Among my practices is to add something challenging; that my current schedule does not allow and that provides me some spiritual reflection time that I currently lack. This year, among my Lenten practices will be to take a 10 minute walk every day – 7 days a week, and to establish a consistent habit of feeding the birds in my yard. I will pray and reflect during my walks, though they may not always be solitary, and I will give thanks to God in nature as I learn more about the birds and their eating habits in Hull. These may seem simple and doable, but I’ve not been able to sustain these habits in the past, and am embracing them as offering transformational moments and opportunities to deepen and widen my faith and connection to God.
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and you are all invited to enter into a mindful Lent. We will have a quiet service at Noon, with the imposition of Ashes and a quiet Eucharist, and we will gather for the same service at 7pm, quiet and contemplative, gathered as a community that is penitent and curious. I will also offer Ashes to Go around Hanover, so if you see me, or another clergy member and you don’t have time to come to church, I hope you will avail yourself of this ancient reminder of our shared lives in Christ.
Elsewhere you will see a number of ways you might enhance your Lenten experience, including joining the choir for this season, apprenticing with the Altar Guild or Kitchen Hospitality committee, joining the Make Kindness Loud Committee, our 300th Anniversary Committee or investing 2-3 volunteer hours at the church. There is so much that we can accomplish together and all help is welcome, from tidying and sorting, to offering Admin Help from 1:30-3pm on Sunday afternoons. You could also institute a weekly family dinner if that is not your current practice, or invite a friend to share a meal with you once a week, giving thanks for enduring or brand new friendships!
Among the changes that you will notice at church during Lent, is that we put our fancy silver aside and turn to more humble accoutrements with which to set God’s table. We will use beautiful earthenware pottery for our chalice and paten, and we will not have flowers as decorations. This is an outward sign of our humility and commitment to finding God in a different way during Lent.
As you pray and discern what your Lenten practices may be, if you are among the majority of our community who is comfortable using the intinction cup rather than drinking from the common cup during Communion, this would be a perfect opportunity to try drinking the blood of Christ from the shared chalice. This is part of our ancient ritual that is passed on to us directly from Jesus’ teaching and time, and it is among the privileges that we share as Episcopalians, that we are each equally welcome to drink from this sacred vessel. We do not restrict the Common cup to me, as your priest, or to once a month, or once a quarter – this gift and open invitation is included every week and offers an opportunity to fully participate in the sacrament.
I hope that whatever practice or discipline you adopt during Lent draws you closer to God, enhances your faith and connects you to being a part of our global, worldwide Anglican communion.
Praying for God’s peace for all,
Amy+
This week, we make our transition from Epiphany to the season of Lent – the 40 days (not counting Sundays) that precede Easter. During this season, we are called to reflect on our faith, service and our lives, and to make changes or adjustments that help place us firmly on God’s pathway. In an effort to experience a mindful Lent, many people choose to give something up (chocolate, alcohol, white sugar/flour, some screen-time, or anything that seems to have an unconscious grip upon them). While this can be useful, it is not required, and in my experience, it is only a holy conduit, if as you find yourself reaching for a piece of chocolate you are reminded of your belovedness and you turn toward God. I do not subscribe to the theory that deprivation for deprivation’s sake is among God’s expectations for a Holy Lent.
Among my practices is to add something challenging; that my current schedule does not allow and that provides me some spiritual reflection time that I currently lack. This year, among my Lenten practices will be to take a 10 minute walk every day – 7 days a week, and to establish a consistent habit of feeding the birds in my yard. I will pray and reflect during my walks, though they may not always be solitary, and I will give thanks to God in nature as I learn more about the birds and their eating habits in Hull. These may seem simple and doable, but I’ve not been able to sustain these habits in the past, and am embracing them as offering transformational moments and opportunities to deepen and widen my faith and connection to God.
Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and you are all invited to enter into a mindful Lent. We will have a quiet service at Noon, with the imposition of Ashes and a quiet Eucharist, and we will gather for the same service at 7pm, quiet and contemplative, gathered as a community that is penitent and curious. I will also offer Ashes to Go around Hanover, so if you see me, or another clergy member and you don’t have time to come to church, I hope you will avail yourself of this ancient reminder of our shared lives in Christ.
Elsewhere you will see a number of ways you might enhance your Lenten experience, including joining the choir for this season, apprenticing with the Altar Guild or Kitchen Hospitality committee, joining the Make Kindness Loud Committee, our 300th Anniversary Committee or investing 2-3 volunteer hours at the church. There is so much that we can accomplish together and all help is welcome, from tidying and sorting, to offering Admin Help from 1:30-3pm on Sunday afternoons. You could also institute a weekly family dinner if that is not your current practice, or invite a friend to share a meal with you once a week, giving thanks for enduring or brand new friendships!
Among the changes that you will notice at church during Lent, is that we put our fancy silver aside and turn to more humble accoutrements with which to set God’s table. We will use beautiful earthenware pottery for our chalice and paten, and we will not have flowers as decorations. This is an outward sign of our humility and commitment to finding God in a different way during Lent.
As you pray and discern what your Lenten practices may be, if you are among the majority of our community who is comfortable using the intinction cup rather than drinking from the common cup during Communion, this would be a perfect opportunity to try drinking the blood of Christ from the shared chalice. This is part of our ancient ritual that is passed on to us directly from Jesus’ teaching and time, and it is among the privileges that we share as Episcopalians, that we are each equally welcome to drink from this sacred vessel. We do not restrict the Common cup to me, as your priest, or to once a month, or once a quarter – this gift and open invitation is included every week and offers an opportunity to fully participate in the sacrament.
I hope that whatever practice or discipline you adopt during Lent draws you closer to God, enhances your faith and connects you to being a part of our global, worldwide Anglican communion.
Praying for God’s peace for all,
Amy+