Pastor Frank

Happy Groundhog Day Everybody! Evidently Pax Phil saw his shadow today, so get ready for more six additional weeks of mornings like today! Brrrr!

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Looking beyond Feb 2, our next holiday is Valentine’s Day, Feb 14. Every now and then, the church calendar intersects with the secular calendar. This year, Feb 14 is not only Valentine’s Day; it is also Ash Wednesday. Those of you who give up chocolate and sweets for Lent: How do you deal with that??? Even sillier, Easter Sunday is April 1. No Foolin’! This is the first Easter on April Fool’s Day since 1956. It’ll next happen in 2029.

Yes, you are right to feel like Christmas just wrapped up. You still have a handful of neighbors with their exterior Christmas lights up– and even turned on at night! Your church staff and leaders are still wiped out from Christmas, and now we have to gear up for the biggest day of the year– less than two months from today!

I say: Bring it on.


So it’s time to start preparing for Holy Week and Easter. The best way to do this is to sign up for our next round of small groups, which begin meeting the week of Feb 11. We’re offering a Lenten study called Embracing the Uncertain. As we did for Advent, the sermons on Sunday will run parallel with the small group themes:

Ash Wednesday: Mark 9:14-29
Feb 25: Matthew 18:21-22
March 4: Luke 12:13-34
March 11: John 11:1-44
March 18: Luke 19:1-10
March 25 (Palm/Passion Sunday): Matthew 26:36-46
Your Sunday worship experience will be enhanced by the reinforcement offered in the small groups. We have five groups, two of which are full. There is still space available Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday + Thursday evenings. Sign up Sunday or give us a call in the church office. Or just hit reply on this email!
Like most things in life, what makes religious practice most meaningful is the effort we put into it.  Take advantage of the opportunity for spiritual growth the church offers during Lent. Your journey begins with Ash Wednesday worship, February 14, 6:00 p.m.
I keep thinking back to Ash Wednesday on Valentine’s Day. Maybe it’s not as silly as it seems.

When the Calendar Messes with Us

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