Pastor Jack's Jots

A Holy Lent: Preparing Our Hearts for Easter

February 27, 2025

Lent is a strange and wonderful season—forty days (not counting Sundays) of spiritual preparation leading to Easter. The very word “Lent” comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning “lengthen,” a reminder that as the days of spring grow longer, so too should our time in reflection, repentance, and renewal. In other languages, the name for this season often refers to its forty-day length or the fasting that has long characterized it. Whatever the name, Lent has always been a season for returning to God with fresh devotion.

Historically, Lent began as a time of fasting and preparation for baptism. Over time, it became a season for all Christians to engage in repentance and renewal. Our Lenten journey at Providence will focus on the many times Scripture tells us, “Do not be afraid.” Each week, we will confront the fears that hold us back, the anxieties that grip our hearts, and the ways in which Christ calls us to trust him more fully.

This sacred season begins with Ash Wednesday on March 5 at 6:00 p.m. I invite you to join us as we mark the beginning of Lent together. It is during this service that we will hear the ancient invitation to observe a holy Lent—a season of self-examination, repentance, fasting, and prayer.

Lent is not a gloomy season but a serious one. It is a time to clear away the distractions that dull our hunger for God, to confess the ways we have turned from him, and to practice disciplines that shape us into the kind of people who long for the resurrection. The goal of Lent is not deprivation for its own sake, but the creation of space—space for prayer, space for repentance, space for grace.

Fasting has long been a key discipline of Lent, but it is often misunderstood. The Lenten fast is not a punishment, a self-improvement plan, or a way to atone for our sins (Jesus has already done that). Instead, fasting reveals what we rely on when we are weary, what comforts we cling to instead of God. It is an opportunity to examine our attachments and reorder our loves.

If you’re wondering what to fast from this Lent, consider these questions:

• When I’m tired or stressed, what do I crave to escape or unwind?
• Do I make indulgent or unnecessary purchases that could be redirected to help those in need?
• What part of my daily routine do I treasure most? Do I love it more than I love my time with the Lord?

Once you’ve discerned what to give up, ask: How could this fast create more space for prayer? A true Lenten fast doesn’t just remove something; it makes room for something better.

But Lent isn’t just about what we give up—it’s also about what we take up. More prayer, more generosity, more time in Scripture, more intentional acts of love. As we enter this season, the Church invites us:

Observe a holy Lent:
By self-examination and repentance,
By prayer, fasting, and self-denial,
And by reading and meditating on God’s Holy Word.

May this season be a time of stripping away what distracts, confronting our fears in the light of God’s promises, and preparing our hearts to rejoice in the victory of Easter.

See you Sunday!
Jack

All Hands on Deck

February 20, 2025

Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic,
be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord! 
~Romans 12:11

The early church often used the metaphor of a ship to describe life in the church—so much so that when congregations gathered for worship, they called the area where they sat the nave, from the Latin word for “ship.” (It’s from this same root that we get the word Navy.) From its earliest days, the Church has seen itself not as a luxury cruise liner but as a battleship—driven by a mission that requires all hands on deck. At Providence, our mission remains clear: Make Committed Disciples of Jesus Christ and Share God’s Love. To fulfill that mission, we need everyone ready and engaged!

Our long-range plan, shaped by listening sessions last fall, identified three core themes to guide our work: Koinonia (fellowship), Evangelism, and Missions. For each theme, we established a clear goal, developed strategies to achieve it, and defined measurable outcomes—all to ensure that we stay on course in fulfilling our mission at Providence.

Now, just a few weeks into the new year, we’re already seeing the fruit of this work! We’ve been collecting flood bucket items to be assembled as part of our first churchwide mission opportunity this year. We shared a wonderful church lunch last Sunday and are making plans for more church family gatherings this spring. And soon, we’ll be launching our brand-new welcome center!

As we live into this long-range plan, we are better together—and we need everyone to be part of this work. When someone joins the church, they promise to faithfully participate in the life of the church through their prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Living into that promise means actively seeking ways to be the hands and feet of Christ in our congregation and community.

Please prayerfully consider the gifts God has given you and how you might use them here at Providence. This Sunday you’ll have the opportunity to sign up and help ensure that God’s ship, Providence UMC, continues to sail forward, focused on our mission. Glory to God!