A Holy Lent

Welcome to the new blog for Grange Hall United Methodist Church!

We as a church are covenanting with one another to pray for our families, our church, and our community through this season of Lent.

Often you hear folks say that they are giving up chocolate or soda for Lent.  This is a good practice of the self-denial we are called to during Lent.  Our church practices this type of self-denial during worship in Lent.  We refrain from saying or singing the word “Alleluia.”  This is an ancient practice that we have taken up together.  “Fasting” from Alleluia makes saying it on Easter morning—Resurrection Sunday—that much sweeter.

You can choose to give something up or add a discipline. The whole point is to draw closer to God.  Just as it says in James, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (4:8).

The discipline for Lent we have chosen together as a church is: Prayer.

This Sunday, February 17^th, we’ll pass out our Prayer Journals.

We’ll also share each day’s devotion on this blog.   

Feel free to share your insights and prayers in the comments section.

Tonight we worshiped with the Valley Parish at Cameron UMC for Ash Wednesday.  Rev. Nancy read the words from The United Methodist Book of Worship to invite us all to observe a holy Lent.  Read these words again as we prepare to journey together to the cross in this Holy Season.

“Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

the early Christians observed with great devotion

   the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection,

and it became the custom of the Church that before the Easter celebration

   there should be a forty-day season of spiritual preparation.

During this season converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism.

It was also a time when persons who had committed serious sins

   and had separated themselves from the community of faith

      were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness,

   and restored to participation in the life of the Church.

In this way the whole congregation was reminded

   of the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ

      and the need we all have to renew our faith.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church,

   to observe a holy Lent:

   by self-examination and repentance;

   by prayer, fasting, and self-denial;

   and by reading and meditation on God’s Holy Word.” 

Thank you for committing to this journey of prayer. Prayer changes things. I believe that.  Prayer changes things within us and outside of us.  So beware!  Because you have committed to spending time with God in prayer, your life is going to change!

Let us all keep a holy Lent.