Lent pastoral letter

February 15, 2010

Dear friends in Christ:

This Wednesday, February 17th, marks the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday. At 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, I will mark the foreheads of our church members with ashes that commemorate our mortality and our need for repentance. This marks the beginning of our second season of Lent together since I have been your pastor.

How will Lent be different for you this year? Are there ways in which this can be a holy time, a period of reflection, a season of renewal? Will your Lenten discipline help to prepare your heart for accepting the tremendous sacrifice of the cross, the lasting gift of the Lord’s Supper, and the awesome joy of finding an empty tomb at Easter?

Here are some suggestions for Lent. This is by no means exhaustive, and you may well have thought already about how you will spend this prayerful season:

Attend our weekly Lenten devotions at First Lutheran Church at 132 Auburn Street in Portland. This is a regional gathering of Lutherans that happens each Lent in a different parish. We begin with a simple soup and bread meal, followed by evening prayer and a sermon by a local pastor. This happens each Wednesday of Lent, with the soup supper at 6:00 p.m. and worship at 7:00 p.m.

As a symbol of giving yourself over to Christ, be generous during Lent. St. Ansgar has become a crucial partner in the Project Feed program by collecting non-perishable food items for the hungry. Are you participating in Project Feed? If not, do you have food to spare? Can you hit a sale at a supermarket, or check out the food deals at the dollar stores? Can you simplify your diet during Lent to help the hungry?

Can you invite a friend to church on Sunday? Perhaps you know someone (even a family member) who just needs that little extra invitation to come and hear God’s Word.

Can you make an extra devotion during Lent? We are encouraged to pray unceasingly, yet so many of us take far too little time to talk with God. Could this Lent be the time that you commit to regular conversations with God?

Reflect on the Sacred Scriptures during Lent. Bring your Sunday bulletin home and re-read the Bible passages during the week. What is God saying to you during this holiest of seasons?

I can’t think of a better place to be during Lent than St. Ansgar. As a strong community of faith, you are an inspiration to me. Let us hold one another in prayer and loving support during this holy time.

Sincerely yours in Christ,
Pastor Bill Barter