Weekly Update

The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting. This season of Lent provided a time in which converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when those who, because of notorious sins, had been separated from the body of the faithful were reconciled, by penitence and forgiveness, and restored to the fellowship of the Church. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior, and of the need that all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.

When we gather together at Chase Cafe, sometimes I am struck by the novelty of the location. Sometimes I am struck by the starkness of the location. And sometimes I simply notice that it is dark outside. That we worship in the evening has meaning for me. We await the coming dawn. We proclaim a risen light in the midst of darkness.

Eventually winter will pass. Already I notice the difference. The sun is still up as we arrive to set up the worship space. Lent is a time of repentance, a time of darkness in some ways, a of deep reflection. But it is not a time of reflection and darkness for darkness' sake. No, it is always in the light of Christ, a light shining in darkness, that we gather to worship.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial and by reading and meditating on God's holy word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our Maker and Redeemer.

Let us kneel in the presense of the Light of Christ.

Tripp Hudgins
The Pastoral Team

The Church of Jesus Christ, Reconciler

(The italicized portions of this post are taken from the Covenant Book of Worship Ash Wednesday service. Here is a link for you. This is the entire liturgy from our Ash Wednesday service at the Community of the Holy Trinity)