Our Lenten Journey 2012
This year during Lent, we will explore the concept of signs of belonging. These are the signs Martin Luther offers as external evidence for locating the Christian church here on earth.
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
February finds us in the midst of our winter months with snowfall and the beautiful sunny days Colorado provides. Personally, you may be in your own dark days of winter or feeling ‘sunny’ about life right now. As a corporate body of Christ, we are Blessed to Belong together no matter the ‘weather’.
On Ash Wednesday, February 22, we were reminded of how we belong as we knelt at the rail; each marked with the cross of Christ. For our Lenten journey, we will be studying Signs of Belonging: Luther’s Marks of the Church and the Christian Life by Dr. Mary Hinkle Shore. Dr. Hinkle Shore was our guest consultant and preacher. She has written a compelling book about Martin Luther’s signs of being a Christian and our mutual life. We are blessed to belong through Word, Baptism, Holy Communion, Forgiveness, Worship and the Cross.
Is it not true, we all long to fit in? We long to hear words of love and grace when we feel unlovable and our sin is before us. We long to be fed; physically, emotionally and spiritually. Thus when we gather as a community of believers, those longings are fulfilled in Christ, through worship and our shared life and journey.
Longing and belonging with you in our Lord, Jesus Christ,
Pastor Ruth Ann
During the next five weeks, we will journey together through worship, learning and conversation. The Faith Formation Team is delighted that you will share this time as a congregation to discover signs that are public pointers to the work God does on earth to gather God’s people together and make them Holy. We are praying that the Holy Spirit will help form faith in you as you have caring conversations, because you are being Authentic, Available and Affirming!
Adult Faith Formation classes are held each Sunday, highlighting the sign we are exploring each week. We invite you to attend these sessions, held Feb. 26 – Mar. 25 at 9am in Room 210!
Wednesday, February 22 – Ash Wednesday – Noon and 7pm worship
Week of February 29 – March 3
- Longing for: authenticity in our relationships
- Sign of Belonging: forgiveness – the truth where we belong
- Text: John 20:19-23
- Wednesday Sermon: audio, video
- Blog Questions: (click HERE to respond to these questions online) What makes you feel like you belong? (To a family, God, an organization, etc.) Which is more difficult: to ask for forgiveness, offer forgiveness or confront someone when they have sinned and need forgiveness? What does forgiveness mean to you? When and how do you practice forgiveness?
Week of March 4 – 10
- Longing for: courage to stay faithful
- Sign of Belonging: Cross
- Wednesday Sermon: audio/text, video
- Blog Questions: (click HERE to respond to these questions online) What makes you feel like you belong? (To a family, God, an organization, etc.) Is it hard to be a Christian in your world? Who or What gives you courage? How does the Holy Spirit help you stay strong in your faith in moments of despair and suffering?
Week of March 11 – 17
- Longing for: a faith community in which to participate
- Sign of Belonging: worship
- Wednesday Sermon: Text, Visual
- Blog Questions: (click HERE to respond to these questions online) What makes you feel like you belong? (To a family, God, an organization, etc.) What does your prayer life look like? Is it part of your daily routine? Does life get in the way of prayer? What is the best worship experience you have ever had?
Week of March 18 – 24
- Longing for: freedom from our sins
- Sign of Belonging: Holy Sacraments
- Wednesday Sermon: Text, Audio, Visual
- Blog Questions: (click HERE to respond to these questions online) What makes you feel like you belong? (To a family, God, an organization, etc.) How does it make you feel to know that God has claimed you as His own? Is Holy Communion a meaningful ritual for you? Why or why not? How does it feel to live in freedom? How do you live a counter-cultural life?
- Additional Resources:
- Do Nothing for 2 Minutes: HOW!?! Read more!
- Reducing Your Screen Time: Listen here! OR Read more here!
- How does Social Media impact our life? Watch here!
- National Day of Unplugging – March 23, 2012: lessons to learn
- Bring Back the Sabbath (NY Times article)
- Creating Sabbath Peace Amid the Noise (NY Times article)
Week of March 25 – 31
- Longing for: finding ourselves in the story
- Sign of Belonging: Word
- Wednesday Sermon: Text, Audio, Video
- Blog Questions: (click HERE to respond to these questions online) What makes you feel like you belong? (To a family, God, an organization, etc.) Do you see yourself in the story – the Bible? What is your relationship like with your Bible? Is there a Bible passage you have gotten different meanings from each time you use it? If so, what is it?
— — — — HOLY WEEK — — — —
April 1 – Palm/Passion Sunday. Worship at 7:30am, 9:00 am, and 10:00am
April 5 – Maundy Thursday/First Communion. Worship 7pm.
April 6 – Good Friday. Worship 7pm.
April 7 – Easter Vigil. Worship 7pm.
April 8 -Easter Sunday! Worship at 6:00am, 730am, 9am, 10:30am
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“Encores of the Season”
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H2O Devotional Theme for 2012
- the writings of Pastor Ron Glusenkamp
- the music of Peter Mayer
*Click here to view the H2O Blog: h20devos.blogspot.com
Usher in this season of Lent by signing up to assist during one of the many worship services. There are Usher openings mid-week on Wednesdays at noon and at 6:30 pm. (The Ash Wednesday service on February 22, 2012 begins at 7pm, but all other Wednesday evening services begin at 6:30 pm.)
Visit the link HERE to sign-up online – click on the word “Details” at the very top of the schedule to put the worship services in order.
We’re already planning ushers for Holy Week, too, so if you are so inclined, you can sign up for those dates HERE! Thank you for your blessing of service!
Click on the following items to enhance your Lenten Journey!
Family Devotional Booklet: a great resource to practice the 4 Keys of practicing Faith Formation (Ritual and Traditions, Devotions, Caring Conversation and Service) at home with your family, be it a family of 10 or a family of 1! Download the 5 Page booklet HERE!
Signs of Belonging Booklet 2012 – available at the Hospitality Desk!
Our Bethany Young Adults group is holding a Tuesday night Lenten book study on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together beginning February 28th @ 7:00 p.m.. Each week we’ll tackle a chapter and discuss what it means to live in Christian community. Contact Lori Roenfeldt (LoriRoenfeldt@gmail.com) with questions.
Meet at St. Mark’s Coffee shop (2019 East 17th Ave – 17th & Race, just west of City Park)
- Feb. 28th – Introduction & Community
- March 6th – The Day with Others
- March 13th – The Day Alone
- March 20th – Ministry
- March 27th – Confession & Communion
A time of fellowship and reflection. A time to renew and remember.
The Bethany Lenten Retreat is from March 15-17, 2012. As you know, St. Malo was devastated by a fire late last year and is not able to accommodate our Retreat this year.
We will instead be hosted by the Highlands Presbyterian Camp & Retreat Center. They have a lovely facility where we can have our own meeting room and fellowship space. It is very near St. Malo, so we will still be in the same mountains that we love so much. In addition, a visit to St. Malo will be included in our retreat time that we might remember and pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who showed us such hospitality over the years.
We will be studying Easter and Resurrection, comparing Gospels and themes. It will help prepare our hearts for the empty tomb!
As heard on the congregational phone call from Pastor Ruth Ann
(click here to LISTEN to the prayer)
“Good morning, Bethany! This is Pastor Ruth Ann, calling with a message to encourage you as we embark upon this Lenten season. On Ash Wednesday, our foreheads were marked with a dusty cross, reminding us that it is God alone who can create new and right spirits within us.
So, today, I have a prayer for us from the ELW:
Almighty God, by our baptism into the death and resurrection of your son, Jesus Christ, you turn us from the old life of sin. Grant that we, who are reborn to new life in Him, may live in righteousness and holiness all our days. Through your son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
It is such a blessing that we belong together in Christ and a blessing that we belong together at Bethany, and a blessing that we belong to each other. God bless you this day. See you in church!”
