The 40 days of Lent is a time to take a closer look and an earnest inventory of how we are following Christ. To ask, how are we fulfilling the call to love God and neighbor and where are we missing the mark? This Lenten season, our theme is Giving it Up: Letting Go to Live in God. Through worship, daily devotionals, small groups, and missional action, we will consider what we need to “give up” in order for the Holy Spirit to “take up” more fully in our lives.
Worship is at the center of who we are and what we do as God’s people. Worship allows God to “love us into life” so that we can do the same for others. During the time of COVID-19, we are offering two different worship options dependent upon the health needs and comfortability level of your family.
Missions During Lent
Throughout the season of Lent, we have three ways you can practice sacrificial giving and increase your missional action:
Shelter Support through the Lenten Jars – throughout the season of Lent, fill your Lenten jars with donations for housing through Virginia Supportive Housing. These donations will go to help those moving from homelessness or shelter situations into more permanent housing with upfront costs such as rent and utility deposits. These are in addition to our normal collection that all supports Welborne Community Food Pantry.
Hunger Response – We are also collecting specific food items for Ginter Park – spaghetti noodles, 15 ounce cans of tomato sauce or pasta sauce in plastic jars, and canned fruit in 15 oz cans. These are in addition to our normal collection. You can drop these off any time in the bin outside the keypad door.
Children in Poverty Response – We are joining with United Methodist Women to collect diapers and baby wipes for Little Hands, a wonderful nonprofit that provides babies with these necessities which are not available through any government benefits. Again, you can drop off baby wipes and diapers anytime in the bin outside the keypad door.
Remember that ALL the giving on Easter Sunday goes to fund the missions portion of the budget. In other words, ALL of the Easter offering goes to Missions!
If you want to see a full listing of all our missional commitments, check out our missions page.
Ed Kross will be leading two studies via Zoom on this theme to help us let go and live in God. One will meet on Sundays at 9am from Sunday, February 21 – Sunday, March 28. The other will meet on Wednesdays at 7pm from Wednesday February 24 – Wednesday, March 31. Use the links below to sign up.
God and the Pandemic: A Christian Reflection on the Coronavirus and Its Aftermath:
Sundays via Zoom at 8:30am from February 21 – March 28: This study, led by Rev. Roger Dowdy, is based on a book of the same name by N.T. Wright. This study examines reactions to the pandemic and invites us to respond through a careful reading of the Bible and on a way of living, thinking, and praying revealed to us by Jesus. You can find the book here. To sign up, please contact Randy Reaves at randalreaves@verizon.net.
Growth in God happens day by day and Lent is an ideal time to take those steps. This daily devotional will give you a scripture reading, a reflection focus, and a faith action.
Worship Schedule through Lent
Wednesday, February 17th
Ash Wednesday Service – Online-6:30pm
Sermon: “Giving It Up: Letting Go to Live in God”
Pastor Darcey Johnson
Scripture: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 and Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Sunday, February 21st
Sermon: “Giving It Up: Giving Up, but Not Giving In”
Pastor Darcey Johnson
Scripture: Luke 4:1-13
Missions Moment: Little Hands
Sunday, February 28th
Sermon: “Giving It Up: Letting Go of Our Lives to Find It”
Pastor Darcey Johnson
Scripture: Luke 9:18-27
Missions Moment: Virginia Supportive Housing
Sunday, March 7th
Sermon: “Giving It Up: Letting Go of Anger”
feat. Rev. Craig Kocher
Scripture: Matthew 5:21-26
Missions Moment: Ginter Park and Welborne Food Pantries
Sunday, March 14th
Sermon: “Giving It Up: Letting Go of Jealousy to Let God Satisfy”
Pastor Darcey Johnson
Scripture: Exodus 20:17 James 4:1-3
Missions Moment: Crossover HealthCare
Sunday, March 21st
Sermon: “Giving It Up: Letting Go of Greed to Let God’s be Enough”
Pastor Darcey Johnson
Scripture: Luke 12:22-34
Sunday, March 28th
PALM SUNDAY
Pastor Darcey Johnson
Scripture: Luke 19:28-40
April 4th
EASTER SUNDAY!
Sermon: “Giving It up: Christ Gave It All So That We Could RISE With Him!”
Pastor Darcey Johnson
Scripture: Luke 24:1-12