February / March 2026 Newsletter

As we turn the page toward another holy season in the life of the Church, we prepare to enter the sacred journey of Lent. Our Lenten walk will begin with our Ash Wednesday Service at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, February 18th, and together we will travel the road that leads us to the  celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, April 5th.

Lent has been observed by Christians for more than 1,500 years. The word “Lent” comes from an old English word meaning springtime—a season of new growth. In the early Church, Lent was a 40-day period of preparation for new believers who would be baptized at Easter. Over time, it became a sacred season for all Christians, a time of repentance, reflection, prayer,     fasting, generosity, and renewal. The 40 days remind us of the 40 days Jesus spent in the       wilderness, facing temptation and preparing for His ministry.

Lent is not about guilt. It is about grace.

This year, our Lenten theme is “Renewed to Mercy.” Mercy is at the heart of who God is. Throughout Scripture, we see a God who meets wandering people in the wilderness, who      provides manna for the journey, who speaks hope into dry bones, and who stretches out His arms in love on the cross. Lent invites us to walk those wilderness roads again, not alone, but guided by God’s promise that God’s steadfast love never fails.

The wilderness is not comfortable. It is a place of honesty. A place where distractions fall away. A place where we rediscover what truly matters. Yet it is also a place of deep grace. In the     wilderness, God renews us. In the wilderness, God reshapes us. In the wilderness, God rebuilds us.

You may remember that the word guiding us this year is Rebuild. Lent gives us space to rebuild our understanding of God’s plan and purpose for our lives. It calls us to rebuild our trust in His love. It challenges us to rebuild our commitment to live as people who reflect the Kingdom of God in our homes, our church, and our community.

To be “Renewed to Mercy” means we receive mercy—and then we become mercy. We forgive as we have been forgiven. We extend grace as grace has been extended to us. We walk humbly, love deeply, and serve faithfully. We remember that we never walk alone. Christ walks with us.

The Spirit strengthens us. The Church journeys together.

As we begin this holy season, I invite you to commit to the journey. Join us for worship. Set aside intentional time for prayer. Consider what you may need to lay down, and what God longs to rebuild in you. Allow this to be more than a season on the calendar. Let it be a season of transformation.

The road to Easter always passes through the wilderness. But the wilderness does not get the  final word. Resurrection does.

May this Lent renew our hearts in mercy and lead us together into the joy of Easter morning.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Amy

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