Lent starts on Wednesday, February 17 and it is the 40 day period before Easter. The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer for Easter through prayer, repentance of sins, and fasting. As a church we will be observing Lent in two major ways:
(1) Fasting
Christian fasting is the act of intentionally abstaining from food or a regularly enjoyed good gift from God to focus on a period of spiritual growth or deepening our relationship with God. We are encouraging everyone in our church community to fast from something for the Lenten Season. This can a food/beverage item (dessert, coffee, meat, etc.). You can also choose some form of media (TV, computer/video games, Facebook, etc.), some activity, etc. Choose whatever would be meaningful for you. If you fall short in your fast, don’t be discouraged, just pick it up again! The whole point of the cross is God showing grace and love to us, so there is no need for legalism or guilt.
We also encourage you to do a complete fast (refrain from eating) on Good Friday which is on Friday, April 2nd.
(2) Feasting
One of the purposes of fasting is drawing near to the Lord. We want to feast on His Word and be more intentional in walking with Him during this Lent season. Here are a few suggestions on how we can grow and stay focused:
Start a Bible Reading Plan - Two excellent resources to start a Bible reading plans are from Biblegateway website and the Bible app. You can go to the resources by clicking on the links below: https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/lent?version=NIV or here https://my.bible.com/reading-plans/85-40-days-of-lent (you can also use the Bible app)
AMI QT - This is another great resource for daily devotions written by people in our community of churches https://amiquiettimes.com
Corporate Prayer - Consider joining us for our church wide prayer meeting on Thursdays (bi-weekly each month). One of the best ways to grow in prayer is to pray with others!
Do it together! We are doing this as a community! Don’t hesitate to reach out for prayer and encouragement if things get difficult. Don’t be shy about sharing ways you are blessed during Lent. Your Family Group would love to walk alongside you during this time. Not in a family group? You can sign up through our website and we’ll get you plugged into one.
May we experience the great love of Christ and the power of his resurrection this Easter season!