Lent is a forty-day pilgrimage into a bright sadness that begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Holy Saturday in preparation for the ultimate destination of Easter Sunday. Though disciplines of self-denial, we cultivate a thirst and hunger for communion with God. This Lent, may we journey to Easter with hearts purified and renewed! 

Why Forty Days? The Lenten period of time is patterned after several events in Scripture. Israel’s 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, and Jesus’ 40 days of fasting and fighting Satan in the wilderness. Each of these “forties,” focused as they are on suffering, testing, repentance, and Spiritual warfare, inform our Lenten contemplation on the glory of the Cross-Shattered Christ who saves the world. How Does Lent Work? To observe Lent rightly we must be persuaded of two facts: those who are in Christ already stand in God’s favor, and growth as a Christian does not occur automatically. Our sinful nature must be dismantled. Grace is the starting point. The hard work of Lent does not begin with our effort; it starts with the work of Jesus in us. What Do I Do For Lent? “Lent is only worth observing if we do so in light of the coming Easter joy; but without proper observance of Lent, Easter celebrations are cheapened and depleted of their power. In our narcissistic, self-centered culture, Lent takes on special importance. You will know you have kept Lent rightly if you come to the end of its 40 day journey with a deeper faith in Christ crucified and a greater joy in the power of the risen Christ.” Here are the four disciplines Incarnation uses to go on the Lenten journey together: 1. Worship Adjust your schedule to participate in the Holy Week Schedule and Easter Sunday.  Ash Wednesday (February 22) services 5:00 & 6:30pm HOLY WEEK & EASTER Maundy Thursday (April 6) 5:00 & 6:30pm Good Friday (April 7) 5:00 & 6:30pm Easter Sunrise (April 9) 6:45am Easter services 9:00 & 10:45am 2. Lenten Fast and Total Fast In the Lenten Fast, you abstain from some food or drink items for the entirety of Lent. What you give up should be something that is good and important to your daily life. In addition, practice a total fast at the beginning of Lent (Ash Wednesday) and at the end of Lent. In a total fast, you deny yourself all food, allowing the hunger pains to focus your longing for Christ.  3. Scripture and Prayer For the entirety of Lent, set aside a time each day for Scripture reading and prayer. Our Lenten Devotional will guide us as a Church, to read and pray our way through the entire gospel of Matthew over the Lenten season together.  4. Home Atmosphere We all are weak. We need the external reminders—symbols, signs—of the season of Lent. Our culture will not give them to us because Lent is not conducive to a consumeristic culture. Find ways to cultivate an atmosphere of Lent in your home. Sunday is never a fast day, because Sunday is the day of the resurrection. So on each Sunday of Lent we receive back from the Lord, with gratitude, whatever we are giving up for our Lenten Fast. The purpose of fasting is not to accumulate favor in God’s eyes. The purpose of fasting is to “establish, maintain, repair, and transform our relationship with God” (Robert Webber). The disciplines are means through which the grace of God flows into our lives; they purify our doors of perception so that we are better able to see God.