prayer

My friends,

Holy Week begins this Sunday with a new entrance—literally. This Sunday, as we celebrate Palm Sunday, we will process into the church with our palm branches.

For the 8 am service, we will gather in the narthex of the church with bulletins and palms to begin our service before processing to our seats.

For the 10 am service, we will gather outside in the parking lot with bulletins and palms. At 10 am, we will start our service (again, outside!) and then process together into the church. For those who are able, we will walk around the church on the Wildwood sidewalk to the front entrance and enter there. For those who prefer, you may use the parking lot entrance and shorten your walk.

Palm Sunday begins with joy and song, and flows into the Passion story of our Lord. We will hear the entire Passion story read from the gospel of Luke to prepare our hearts for the week ahead. With our different entrance into worship, we are acknowledging that this week is not only different but the highlight of our Christian journey together. So, together, let’s walk into Holy Week.

Join us this Sunday in person if you are able, or online through the livestream. Let us be together this Holy season.

Blessings and peace,

Pastor Sarah

Dear friends,

Lent has truly begun, and I find myself already struggling with my chosen fast. My prayer time, however, has been grounded in my renewed practice to pray over my first cup of coffee. (Did I tell myself that I cannot have coffee unless I pray, as an incentive? Yes, I did….)

Perhaps you are struggling to get your prayer time started. Perhaps it seems just, well, not achievable.

I understand, I do.

When I struggle the most, I have a theologian that I turn to–Henri Nouwen. I find him to be deeply spiritual, deeply honest and real. I also found out very recently that he and Fred Rogers were close friends and shared a frequent correspondence. That makes sense. So I share with you Henri’s Prayer for Lent. I pray it helps you this season.

Blessings and peace,

Pastor Sarah

The Lenten season begins. It is a time to be with you, Lord, in a special way, a time to pray, to fast, and thus to follow you on your way to Jerusalem, to Golgotha, and to the final victory over death.

I am still so divided. I truly want to follow you, but I also want to follow my own desires and lend an ear to the voices that speak about prestige, success, pleasure, power, and influence. Help me to become deaf to these voices and more attentive to your voice, which calls me to choose the narrow road to life.

I know that Lent is going to be a very hard time for me. The choice for your way has to be made every moment of my life. I have to choose thoughts that are your thoughts, words that are your words, and actions that are your actions. There are not times or places without choices. And I know how deeply I resist choosing you.

Please, Lord, be with me at every moment and in every place. Give me the strength and the courage to live this season faithfully, so that, when Easter comes, I will be able to taste with joy the new life that you have prepared for me. Amen.