What a busy-yet-glorious time of the year! Here are some of the things you need to know this week:
First, our Diocesan Regional Retreat begins today and runs through Saturday in Greensboro, NC. Please pray for all those from Christ the Redeemer who will be attending. Ask that the Spirit would direct our deliberations and transform our lives through our worship, teaching, and interactions with one another.
Second, our Congregational Meeting has been confirmed for SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25 here at the church from 5:00 – 7:30 pm. If you have not yet RSVP’ed for the event, please do so by responding to the Google questionnaire which was sent this week, or by emailing or calling the church office. It is important that all who are able plan to attend, as we gather to hear from the Leadership Council as to the developments in our ‘3-5 year Goal’, and to begin a conversation with us all seeking the Spirit’s leading in the goal’s fulfillment. Nursery and a children’s program will be provided, and the dinner will be (simple and) catered. So, mark your calendar, RSVP (if you have not already done so), and pray for God’s blessing on our time together.
Third, our Discipleship Hour returns this week (both for adults and for children). Please note, we will begin at 9:00 a.m. sharp for the ‘Walk through the Catechism’ class in order to maximize our time together.
Fourth, our Men’s Group is returning in a new form! We plan to meet every other Tuesday from 7:00-8:30 pm either at one of our homes or a local restaurant. The purpose is two-fold: Fellowship—a chance to get to know one another in an informal way, and Growth-a chance to begin to go deeper in our faith together (we plan to have a ‘question of the day’ to spark some deeper conversation). Zach Kuenzli will take on the administrator’s role initially (zkuenzli@gmail.com). The next meeting will take place on February 20. Check the web site, your email and the weekly bulletin for updates and for more information.
Fifth, Preparing for Lent! Take some time now to prepare yourself for a wonderful Lent.
Sunday marks the last day to bring in your palm crosses from last Palm Sunday! They will be burned and turned into ashes on Shrove Tuesday;
Shrove Tuesday—if you have not yet RSVP’ed for our Shrove Tuesday supper, so we know how much food to prepare, please respond to the Punchbowl invitation that was sent last week.
Ash Wednesday officially kicks off Lent with our service at 6:00 p.m.
If you are looking for a resource to make the most out of Lent, I cannot recommend highly enough Aaron Damiani’s The Good of Giving Up. Let me remind us all of the three ‘recommendations’ he makes as we prepare for Lent:
o ‘Ask God for Vision’—what is it that God desires for you in your life with him? Given who you are and where you are, what is God calling you to tackle together this Lent?
o ‘Be honest about your Inner Rebel’—What part of you does not like Lent and resists the vision for Christlikeness? Name the ‘beast’ and practice renouncing it before embracing the Season.
o ‘Choose your Disciplines’- Ask God to direct you in the framing of a plan to act on your vision. Ask God to give you the courage to ‘ask others for help’ in the crafting of the plan. Ask God to strengthen your resolve to keep these intentions and to embrace these practices.
Looking forward to worshiping with you all on Sunday and walking with you all through the Season of Lent.
