Reflections on Lenten Service

Last night, we had our second Lenten service. Again, we had a more informal worship time. I thought the service went very well. Instead of sermon, we had more of a Bible study. I felt that after awhile it turned into a sermon, but it was different. It was something like an...interactive sermon. I would ask questions, get some thoughts and preach on it. I liked the spontaneity of it. I could feel the Spirit working through me as people's heads were nodding as we interpreted and meditated on God's Word. I am still trying to find the right balance of straight preaching versus making it a Bible study...my guess is that by the final Wednesday service, I'll have figured it out.

More than anything, I am excited when I know everyone at worship comes away with something to think about. I am excite when I know folks come away feel more confident about seeing the meaning in God's Word.

I realize that as a pastor for two churches, my time is limited. But, I would really like to explore the opportunities in an alternative-type worship service during the week. I think we could rotate it between the churches and have a similar format. I think there is a real ministry opportunity here. We'll see what the future holds.

Another Thought
Wednesdays, for many churches, are a popular night for programming. It is a common night for choir practices. Some churches have a programming night. Some even offer a meal beforehand. At our churches, we have Confirmation on Wednesday evenings. During Lent, we had to move Confirmation, which has become quite difficult to re-schedule. In speaking with another pastor in the Fond du Lac area, he said they moved their Lenten services to Thursday evenings.

This may be a little non-traditional, but this is something that I may put out there as an idea for our Lenten services in the future. I am realizing that 2-hour Confirmation classes can test the attention span of both and the students and the teacher. I am envisioning classes that are 60 to 90 minutes. This would mean more classes. I like having the classes on Wednesday nights, so I am going to explore the possibility of moving our Lenten services to Thursday nights. That's a year away, so we can hold off on that for now :).

Ash Wednesday Thought

At 7:00 PM, I will be presiding over an Ash Wednesday service. Despite having helped out at previous services, this will be the first one is which I play the primary role. This is exciting, but I think of it as a subdued excitement, given that the feeling of this service is one of repentance and self-denial.

My message tonight is one of figuring out how to prepare over the 40 days of Lent so that we have a clear vision of the importance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That may involve giving something up for Lent. It may mean adding something new. It may require some life changes. It's easy to ask this of others, but it is something that I am also taking to heart myself.

As a spiritual leader, I know I can improve in my relationship with God. During this Lenten period, there is something that I will be giving up for Lent. I am hoping that by giving up this habit for 40 days, it may be gone forever. I also hope to strengthen the spiritual disciples that I already engage in, making them more meaningful in building a relationship with God.

I wish you all the best in your Lenten journey!