RevGals Friday Five: Spring into Lent
Sophia offers this RevGals Friday Five Meme on Lent an Spring:
1. Did you celebrate Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday this year? Any memories of memorable celebrations past? We did not celebrate either this year...at least we did not eat pancakes at church. I think we had some delicious grilled chicken. My most memorable Shrove Tuesday was the year we hosted a pasta dinner at church and sponsored the speaker from the refugee ministry who helped us develop our ministry with refugees.
2. How about Ash Wednesday, past and/or present? At small church Ash Wed. became a deeply mystical time as the church was transformed from silver and brass to wood, candles, rocks (to build prayer cairns), and bare branches and twigs instead of plants and flowers. It spoke deeply of journey, of simplicity, of desert, of earth in winter waiting to burst forth into new life.
3. Does your denomination or congregation celebrate "this joyful season"? Any special emphases or practices to share? Lent is my favorite season in the church year. I love the deeply reflective tone.
4. Do you have a personal plan of give-ups, take-ons, special ministries, and/or a special focus for your own spiritual growth between now and Easter? This year, as I did two years ago, I am packing and moving during Lent. It is literally a time of journey and hopefully transformation and new life.
5. What is your dream for the image of Christ coming to perfection in you, the church, the world? How can we support you in prayer? My dream is to continue growing my prayer life deeper and to walk with individuals and faith communities on their journey. In the end I hope we all grow in our compassion, our willingness to be gentle with others and gracious in our love.
Bonus: Song, prayer, picture, etc. that sums up your feelings about this liturgical springtime. I love to use this hymn at the end of worship during Lent:
Put peace into each other's hands
And like a treasure hold it,
Protect it like a candle flame,
With tenderness enfold it.
Put peace into each other's hands
With loving expectation;
Be gentle in your words and ways,
In touch with God's creation.
Put peace into each other's hands
Like bread we break for sharing;
Look people warmly in the eye:
Our life is meant for caring.
Give thanks for strong -yet tender hands,
Held out in trust and blessing.
Where words fall short, let hands speak out,
The heights of love expressing.
Put Christ into each other’s hands,
He is love’s deepest measure;
In love make peace, give peace a chance
And share it like a treasure
Fred Kaan© 1989 and 2001 Stainerand Bell
1. Did you celebrate Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday this year? Any memories of memorable celebrations past? We did not celebrate either this year...at least we did not eat pancakes at church. I think we had some delicious grilled chicken. My most memorable Shrove Tuesday was the year we hosted a pasta dinner at church and sponsored the speaker from the refugee ministry who helped us develop our ministry with refugees.
2. How about Ash Wednesday, past and/or present? At small church Ash Wed. became a deeply mystical time as the church was transformed from silver and brass to wood, candles, rocks (to build prayer cairns), and bare branches and twigs instead of plants and flowers. It spoke deeply of journey, of simplicity, of desert, of earth in winter waiting to burst forth into new life.
3. Does your denomination or congregation celebrate "this joyful season"? Any special emphases or practices to share? Lent is my favorite season in the church year. I love the deeply reflective tone.
4. Do you have a personal plan of give-ups, take-ons, special ministries, and/or a special focus for your own spiritual growth between now and Easter? This year, as I did two years ago, I am packing and moving during Lent. It is literally a time of journey and hopefully transformation and new life.
5. What is your dream for the image of Christ coming to perfection in you, the church, the world? How can we support you in prayer? My dream is to continue growing my prayer life deeper and to walk with individuals and faith communities on their journey. In the end I hope we all grow in our compassion, our willingness to be gentle with others and gracious in our love.
Bonus: Song, prayer, picture, etc. that sums up your feelings about this liturgical springtime. I love to use this hymn at the end of worship during Lent:
Put peace into each other's hands
And like a treasure hold it,
Protect it like a candle flame,
With tenderness enfold it.
Put peace into each other's hands
With loving expectation;
Be gentle in your words and ways,
In touch with God's creation.
Put peace into each other's hands
Like bread we break for sharing;
Look people warmly in the eye:
Our life is meant for caring.
Give thanks for strong -yet tender hands,
Held out in trust and blessing.
Where words fall short, let hands speak out,
The heights of love expressing.
Put Christ into each other’s hands,
He is love’s deepest measure;
In love make peace, give peace a chance
And share it like a treasure
Fred Kaan© 1989 and 2001 Stainerand Bell
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