3/12/2025

I’ve given up writing the Pastor’s Note for Lent.

Just kidding! In a recent meeting, Kim, Dorene and I were talking about how all three of us came from traditions that didn’t practice Ash Wednesday and Lent. I thought their testimony about the impact Lent made on them would be encouraging for everyone to read, so I’ve asked them to write something for the newsletter. This week, Kim is writing about observing her first Lent. 

In the meantime, I wanted to remind you of our challenge from last Sunday. First, commit to weekly worship attendance with the Body of Christ  - that’s the weekly worship we do together. Second, think of 5 times a day when you can pray. 

As I said on Sunday, don’t let this scare you. Some people are intimidated by the idea of praying, but by the time you’re 2 years old, you’ve learned all the prayer vocabulary you need: “Please,” “Thank you,” “I’m sorry” and “I love you.” These are the words we use in prayer. So, 5 times a day -  before your 3 meals, when you wake up and when you go to bed — you can do 5 simple acts of worship. 

Blessings,
Pastor Terry


My First Lent 

I didn’t grow up with Ash Wednesday, Lent, Seders or Easter Vigils as part of my Easter celebration. We were part of a tradition that had done away with the trappings of the high, liturgical churches. However, I did attend elementary and junior high with many Catholic friends who observed Lent from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday morning. 

My small town was called Yorkville, a “New York Village” of sorts, and it was home to many first and second generation Europeans who were from Italy, France, Germany and other countries. My best friend Lisa was taught her genealogy young, quoting, “I’m Romanian and Lithuanian,” on numerous occasions for whatever reason. My maternal grandfather’s family became part of this town in the early 1900’s when they left Germany for the new world as furniture makers and wood carvers. There was a Greek family that ran the vegetable market, and two Italian families, the Gaudios and the Moffos, operated an amazing bakery and a pizzeria that was unmatched.

St. Lucy’s Catholic Church was the hub of the small town of about 1,500 residents, and it united most of these neighbors. Many of the residents, including my maternal grandfather’s family, were Catholic. They all participated in Ash Wednesday and Lent. And, while my parents didn’t practice Lent, we did enjoy the Friday Fish Fries at St. Lucy’s!

I was ash-free on Ash Wednesday. Most of my friends would leave school to get their ashes, returning proudly to class with their smudges, while I stood out with my clean forehead. So, as a child and early teen, I asked questions, and was told, “We don’t do that. Jesus died for our sins, and we don’t have to give up things to be holy.” While that’s true, it totally misses the point of Lent. 

It wasn’t until about fifteen or twenty years ago, when my church in Florida had a new pastor who had received his Masters and Doctorate of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky, that I first had the opportunity to take part in an Ash Wednesday service. It was a bit controversial! There were some who didn’t think it was right to observe Lent, and it caused a bit of a ruckus! However, the pastor stuck with it and many came around.

I went out of curiosity, and decided that I would participate. Maybe I could stir up my latent, Catholic-heritage genes and find some meaning in the observance of Lent! I wasn’t ready for what happened, but I’m glad it did.

I received my ashes at the altar, and we were given a list of “prospective sacrifices” for Lenten observance, since we were predominantly novices. The list included everything from a 40-day water-only fast to giving up a food category like sugar or chocolate or even social media. There was the “one, two or three-day-a-week” fast or, of course, the Daniel Fast. Being a novice myself, I chose the one day weekly fast. During that day each week, I spent extra time praying during meal times. I came to find that this increased my overall prayer practices throughout the season.

Since I attended the sponsoring church for the Christian school where I worked, and many students and some faculty members attended the same church, there was heightened discussion about Lent. We shared our knowledge of Lent, our early memories related to the practice, any Lenten practices we’d taken part in prior to that time. It was an enlightening time for many of us as we drew closer to each other and encouraged one another in our personal observances that year.

The church sanctuary was open for prayer throughout the Lenten season, and I’d go there during my school lunchtime to pray. Fasting even that little bit kept my focus on Easter and on what Jesus did for me in a whole new way for the first time in my life. I began counting the days till Easter, not as a relief from fasting, but with the anticipation of the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus and of my hope of resurrection because of His work on the cross.

We didn’t have a Vigil on Saturday night, but there was an Easter sunrise service at the beach. The cross was there in the sand, draped in white, and I remember wearing a sunny yellow jacket, the joyful color of my heart that morning, as we sang and celebrated Jesus’ resurrection while the sun rose in the background over the waves. I cried most of the service.  A few hours later we returned to the church where we celebrated the risen Lord again! I still remember thinking that Lent had prepared me for Easter in a whole new way! It wasn’t only about giving up food or making a personal sacrifice, it was about focusing on Jesus’ resurrection and what that means for all of us who follow him. As Paul says, in I Corinthians 15:14, without the resurrection, our faith is useless.

So, whether it’s your first Lent, or if you’ve practiced Lent since before you can recall, remember with me this year what it’s all about. Like Pastor Terry said in last week’s Pastor’s Note, “Lent is not a fad diet; it’s a launching pad!”  It’s not too late to join in if you didn't begin last Wednesday. Start today and be ready for your best resurrection celebration this Easter!

Blessings,
Kim