Family of faith,

This is Pastor Megan writing to you!
It is a joy to be transitioning back into life with our church family. This time away from church work to put my full attention on the work of family has been very precious and special.

I’m sure that many of you also remember the strange early days of parenthood, where sleep is elusive and miraculous. When all previous metrics of success and failure are irrelevant and pointless.

I can’t help but think of the season of Lent and the story of Jesus differently as I look at my own son’s face. During this season, we are called to evaluate our lives in the light of the cross of Jesus. A part of the long tradition is to fast from something or to give something up in order to better focus on our connection to God and others. It’s also a part of the Lenten tradition to take up a practice like we do as a family with the Covenant Women in Mission (CWM) collection every year.

What might you give up or start this year in order to better focus on your connection to God and neighbor? As Pastor Geoff put it during our Ash Wednesday service, how can you start out with the end in mind?

We must ask ourselves—in the face of our own mortality, what really matters? Is it the stuff in my life? Having the newest or having a lot of… whatever? Is it the money and having more numbers in my bank account? Is it making others think well of us? No. Those are fleeting gossamer—little spider webs of vanity.

What really matters in the face of God’s death? The things that matter are the things that endure—the relationships between us. Having the courage to do the right thing, even when it’s difficult. Standing up for others, especially those that are marginalized and oppressed. Planting and sowing seeds that we might not harvest.

Let’s put it this way—at the end of my life will I remember that cheap drive through hamburgers? Or will I remember eating with the people I love, sharing laughter and love with friends and family? So what is causing me to miss out on those moments? What is making me so busy that I don’t have time for it? Or what is filling up my life so that I am not able to pay attention to God’s voice? What is preventing me from showing up for the “least of these” to provide a warm meal or to speak out for affordable housing? What is distracting me from time with the people I love or with the people I’m called to love?

So this Lent, let’s figure that out. Let’s dig into our lives and ask those big questions. Then, let’s do the hard work of letting those things go. Let’s keep the end in mind—Good Friday and on to Resurrection.

—Pastor Megan