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This year, Lent begins after Shrove Tuesday, the traditional day for pancakes. As we are still observing pandemic protocol, we are unable to eat pancakes together, but invite you to enjoy pancakes on your own. 

Following Shrove Tuesday is Ash Wednesday on March 2.  The liturgical color associated with Lent is purple. Lent is traditionally a forty-day period of fasting and prayer in preparation for Easter, which traditionally was the day for baptism. Perhaps, in the past, you have “given up” something for Lent. Several years ago, Lent was "reframed” — rather than periods of self-denial, or struggling with willpower, it became a time to consider if there was something deeper for us to think about. Sure, we could give up Facebook, coffee, or wine, stop listening to CBC, or intentionally deny ourselves the opportunity to spend money on this or that. Periods of self-denial are healthy and surely there are a number of things that we can and possibly should live without. At the same time, Lent can be viewed as an opportunity to replace certain habits with others and open the door for meaningful internal and external change.

This year, I am hearing from many of you about loss and grief. The pandemic has been difficult — there has been so much loss. So this Lent, we will explore loss. We are thrilled to be in partnership with Sunset United and Wesley United churches to share in a variety of Lenten opportunities. I am still new here at Lakeview United and I am pleased to have met with so many of you already. I look forward to this journey of Lent as we seek to care for each other.