Notes from the Pastor – February 2023

The season of Lent is around the corner once more. For Christians around the world, Lent is a sacred time set aside to filter out the noise and baggage of the world and return to the simplicity of Christian spirituality, through prayer, fasting, confession. It is also, unfortunately, a time when some of the harmful aspects of Christian theology take center stage. As we have been learning in Faith Formation during Epiphany, our hearts are shaped—often without our knowledge—by the rhythms and routines of our culture, particularly those borne out of the systemic violence of colonialism, white supremacy, capitalism, queerphobia, and patriarchy.

While we call these things “sin,” we recognize that word has become saturated with perfectionism and shame, fueled by those very systems of sin we are trying to turn away from.
That’s why for Central Christian Church, Lent is a time of recognizing the harm the church has done and repenting, not from a sense of deep shame, but from a desire for wholeness.
To kick off this season, we will be celebrating our second annual (Glitter) Ash Wednesday, a practice of recognizing that to be human is to be a miraculous paradox, a spiritual animal, marvelous and mundane. The sign of Glitter and Ashes will be available “to-go” at 8am and noon on Wednesday, February 22nd, and then in the evening at 6 we will have our Dust + Stardust liturgy with meditative music from the Taizé community. This is a great opportunity to invite someone you know who has a desire for connection to the Christian tradition but has experienced harm at the hands of the church.

(If you are an Alto or Bass who can read music and are interested in being a vocalist for this service, please contact Pastor Stephen at pastor@gfccc.net)

Throughout Lent we will again be having Lenten Vespers on Wednesday evenings at 6—exploring six different embodied prayer practices to enrich your spiritual life. These will be open-ended: come and go as you please, staying as long as you need or want. Pastor Stephen will also be available during the hour for anyone in need of prayer.

May the season of Lent be a time of renewal for you on your spiritual journey, wherever that may be.

Stephen
pastor@gfccc.net