What Is Lent?

The Lent tradition began in the 3rd and 4th centuries of the early church. The practice derived from the biblical narrative of the people of Israel being tested in the wilderness for 40 years, as well as from Jesus’ forty-day fast in the wilderness. The church has adopted this 40-day period as a season of preparation and repentance in anticipation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter day.

In Lent, we follow Jesus to the cross, and discover more and more what it means to belong together to the crucified and risen One. It is also a season of reflecting on our deep need for the great salvation that Christ purchased for us. Whether you are only beginning to follow Jesus, or have been a Christian for quite some time, we hope these resources and services on our church calendar will help to shape your life around the cross and empty tomb of Christ in fresh ways.

Services and Events

Wednesday, March 5: Ash Wednesday Service | 6:00 pm

Sunday, April 13: Palm Sunday | 8:30am & 10:30am

Friday, April 18: Good Friday Service | 6:00 pm

Saturday, April 19: Holy Saturday Hike | 9:00am

Sunday, April 20: Easter Service | 8:30am & 10:30am

Saturday, April 26: Spring Block Party for Family Advocacy

Wednesday, March 5: Ash Wednesday Service

The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. This year, we invite you to join with us in celebrating Ash Wednesday on Wednesday, March 5, with a service at 6:00 pm.

We will offer the imposition of ashes at our Ash Wednesday service. You by no means must participate, but as it is an historic tradition rich in meaning and symbolism, we want to make it available.

As you consider participating, we invite you to contemplate how and why we use ashes during this service. Here is how it’s framed in the Companion to the Book of Common Worship:

The Lenten journey from the ashes of death to resurrected life begins on the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday...This first day of Lent reminds us that unless we are willing to die to our old selves, we cannot be raised to new life with Christ. The first step of this journey calls us to acknowledge and confront our mortality, individually and corporately. In many traditions, this is symbolized through the imposition of ashes — placing a cross on one’s forehead. During the imposition of ashes the words: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19) are repeated again and again. We are to remember that we are but temporary creatures, always on the edge of death...

Ashes on the forehead is a sign of our humanity and a reminder of our mortality. Lent is not a matter of being good, and wearing ashes is not to show off one’s faith. The ashes are a reminder to us and our communities of our finite creatureliness. The ashes we wear on our Lenten journey symbolize the dust and broken debris of our lives as well as the reality that eventually each of us will die...

Trusting in the accomplished fact of Christ’s resurrection, however, we listen for the Word of God...We follow Jesus into the wilderness, resist temptation, fast, and proceed “on the way” to Jerusalem and the cross. Our Lenten journey is one of metanoia (“turning around”), of changing directions from self-serving toward the self-giving way of the cross.

Whether you choose to receive the ashes or not that night, we’d love to have you join us to begin this season of Lent with times of Scripture reading, prayer and repentance.

Friday, April 18: Good Friday Tenebrae Service

Please join us for our Good Friday Tenebrae service on April 18 at 6:00 pm.

Tenebrae, meaning “darkness” or “shadows,” is a prolonged meditation on Christ’s suffering. Readings trace the story of Christ's passion, with one candle lit for every reading. As candles are extinguished at the end of each reading and the shadows and darkness increase, we ponder the depth of Christ’s suffering and death, and remember the cataclysmic nature of his sacrifice as we hear a “strepitus” (Latin for clashing) – a loud noise symbolizing Christ’s death and rejection by God the Father. The final remaining candle, representing the life of Christ, is then extinguished.

Saturday, April 19: Holy Saturday Hike

This Easter as we mourn the sin of our hearts and the death of Christ and also as we celebrate His depth of love for us and His resurrection, we invite you to take a reflective hike individually or as families to experience this season in a different and powerful way!

We will be meeting at __(TBD_____ at 9am. The trail is fairly flat and should be doable for younger children, but it is not stroller compatible.

[[If you are unable to join us, but would like to do something on your own, check out this Contemplative Hike Guide, which includes song lyrics, Scripture passages to read... even an "I Spy" type game for kids. A special thanks to Ben and Kelseyleigh Hepler for the guide and for leading us in the hike!]]

Sunday, April 20: Easter Sunday Services

Easter is THE day for the Christian faith. It is the cornerstone of our faith: we follow not merely a crucified Savior, but a risen King. So as we rapidly approach our time to gather in worship and celebration of the risen Jesus on April 9, we invite you to prepare in two ways. 

One, spend time contemplating the resurrection of Jesus: both the sin of the world that led to His death and the triumphant victory and vindication of Him rising from the grave. The more our eyes are open to what the resurrection accomplishes, the sweeter our time in worship will be on Sunday. 

But Easter isn't just for us, it's also for others. So second, we invite you to prepare by thinking about other men and women who might join us on Easter Sunday. 

We live in what's largely a post-Christian culture. However, there are enough vestiges of a Christian heritage in our culture that Easter is still a day where a lot of unchurched and de-churched people look for a church to visit. So think about who those men and women might be in your neighborhood, workplace, school, etc. and let them know they're welcome to join us for our Easter celebrations at our 8:30 or 10:30 services on April 9.

LENT INITIATIVES

The By Name Initiative: 40 Days of Prayer

The By Name Initiative is a period of intentional prayer, connection, and sharing the gospel during the Lenten season. This initiative will run from March 5 (Ash Wednesday) to April 20 (Easter Sunday).

Commit to PRAY every day, BY NAME, for someone that doesn’t know Christ. Make an added effort to CONNECT and spend time with them. As the Holy Spirit gives you opportunity, SHARE the gospel of Jesus Christ with them.

Learn more on The By Name Initiative website.

Spring Block Party for Family Advocacy - April 26

In line with our 2025 local mercy initiative, we are throwing a block party on April 26 to show our appreciation and support for foster and adoptive families in our area as well as the social workers who are working tirelessly to ensure needs are being met.

Learn more and sign up to serve at the event here: (signups will open in March)

Resources

Books/Guides:

Fasting and Prayer

Fasting and prayer are two traditional focuses of Lent. Fasting, joined with fervent prayer and reading of Scriptures, is a spiritual discipline of humbling ourselves in abstinence before God to turn away some tragedy, or for obtaining of some special blessing.

Fasting is traditionally the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a limited time. Some people give up a certain behavior or habits during the season.

We fast (not just during Lent) because Jesus told us to do so (Matt. 6:16, Mark 2:20). We fast because we continue to see the pattern of fasting practiced in the Church (Acts 13, for example). We fast because it is one of the means God uses to break the power of sin in our lives, prepare us well for prayer, and humble us before him (for unlike God, we need food to live).

The act of self-denial can be a helpful tool in your Christian growth. There is nothing magic about it; however it can be a helpful reminder of your deep need for Jesus and the way that Jesus meets and satisfies your every need.

So as you pray, join the Psalmist in praying, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me an know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Ps. 139:23-24).

(Excerpt from "Why Bother With Lent?" By Elliott Grudem and Bruce Benedict)