Thank you to the new member who recently left a note on my stand in the choir room. It requested that the hymn #707, “Hymn of Promise” be sung in worship sometime soon. I’m so glad this person left me the note, and I promise that we will sing it when it fits the worship service. It is a favorite of mine as well.

The note made me wonder how many in our congregation know our practice for planning worship, including hymns and other music. We sometimes get comments from people who act surprised (genuinely or tongue in cheek) that the parts of the service flow together and present a united theme. Believe me, we work at that!

Each week, most of the worship staff gathers for prayer and conversation about the upcoming worship service. Usually the preacher for the week takes the lead by naming the scriptures for the week and describing how God is leading in sermon preparation so far. Then we all participate, talking about our thoughts about the scripture as well as our own personal experiences. Almost everything we plan grows out of our conversation about the scripture passages for that day – the music and prayers and sometimes even the sermon itself. We choose hymns as a group, not just because they’re our favorites (although we do a fair amount of joking about certain staff members’ least favorite hymns), but because they express the message we hope to convey. Then we trust the Holy Spirit to take our plans and to do with them what we could never do alone – speak of the grace of the living Christ in the midst of our daily lives and how best we can respond to that grace.

We sometimes try new songs with the hope that they will speak to us in a fresh way. Often we sing old familiar hymns because they have an important place in our worship tradition. My prayer is that everyone who gathers for worship will experience God through all of the worship service, whether they always like the elements in worship or not.

So, thank you for the note. I’m happy to hear from anyone who would like to share a favorite hymn or song with me. I’ll do my best to keep those in mind as we plan.

Resurrection Sunday (April 8th) marks the beginning of the Easter Season, which lasts for 50 days until the Day of Pentecost (May 27th). It is a time for rejoicing as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The colors in the sanctuary are white and gold, symbolizing holiness, purity, joy, royalty, and victory over death. Flowers are also used on the cross as reminders of new life. This year at Christ UMC, worship during the Easter Season will include the children leading us on April 29th, the celebration of our 25th anniversary on May 20th, and Confirmation Sunday on May 20th as well.

There were moments this past Sunday in worship when I was moved to tears. I’ve heard a lot of pastors say that it is hard for them to worship in their churches on Sunday mornings, and sometimes that is true for me. But most Sundays there is something—a hymn, a prayer, a choir anthem, a children’s message—that moves me to worship. Somehow, God finds ways to break in on my life, even when I’m worried about the sermon or anxious about visitors feeling welcomed.

This past Sunday, God was breaking in all over the place. Maybe it was because I wasn’t preaching and was in a better place spiritually to receive and be led. Maybe it was the cumulative effect of all of those powerful meditations from Henri Nouwen that we’ve been reading in our Lenten devotional guides. Maybe it was because the Sunday School lesson I had been preparing all week was focused on the crucifixion and all that Jesus endured on the cross. Maybe as I prepared to ask others what the cross meant to them, I was pondering that same question for myself. Whatever it was, I found myself moved over and over again as we worshiped together.

The Chris Rice song that Trish Kaberle sang during the Offering has been on my heart for days now: “Weak and wounded sinner, lost and left to die, O, raise your head, for love is passing by. Come to Jesus. Come to Jesus and live! Now your burden’s lifted and carried far away…Sing to Jesus! Sing to Jesus and live!” And the powerful anthem that the choir sang knocked me over: “My God, I love Thee; not because I hope for heav’n thereby, nor yet because who love thee not may eternally die. Thou, O my Jesus, thou didst me upon the cross embrace; for me didst bear the nails and spear, and manifold disgrace…Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ should I not love Thee well? Not for the hope of winning heaven, nor of escaping hell. Not with the hope of gaining aught, nor seeking a reward, but as thyself hast loved me, O everlasting Lord! E’en so I love thee, and will love…solely because thou art my God, and my eternal King.”

All of this emotion was gathered up as I stood at the communion table and said the words of the liturgy: “He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. He took upon himself our sin and death and offered himself…” For us. For you. For me. Sometimes we all need reminding that God did this…for each one of us.

The lyrics of the music and the words of the liturgy can so easily become routine and hollow for us. We can sing things and say things without really paying attention. But somehow all of these things this week reminded me of God’s love for us. Jesus offered himself up, he went through the worst torture that human beings have ever designed, because of love. He loves us that much. He loves you that much. He loves me that much. How can that not change us?

My prayer this week is that each one of us, at some point during this Holy Week, will remember that love. I hope we will feel it and know it. I hope we’ll recognize that this story—of Jesus’ arrest, flogging, crucifixion, death and resurrection—is about us. It is for us. Take some time this week to ponder the cross. Allow it to reach into your life. And may all of us allow the love of the cross to change us forever.

This week marks the beginning of Lent. It seems like we have just taken down the Advent banners and removed the wreaths from our hearths, but here we are on the doorstep of another, very different holy season. On Wednesday evening we gather for worship, communion and the imposition of ashes. On Sunday we will hear the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, and we’ll turn with him toward Jerusalem as he makes his journey to the cross.

Lent is a unique and often difficult season to walk through. It’s a season that invites us into self-examination and repentance. We are led to take a long, hard look at ourselves and to name those things that keep us from loving and trusting God. Given the events that have happened in our community and in our world over the past few weeks, we are deeply and painfully aware of our own brokenness and our need for God’s mercy and grace. This is part of our Lenten journey.

As we go through this six-week season, we will continue on Sunday mornings hearing from the Gospel of Mark. The lectionary calendar actually moves into the Gospel of John, but our worship team here decided to stick with Mark and to let him continue telling us about Jesus’ journey toward Jerusalem. Through Mark’s gospel, we will be asking ourselves, “What do we need to turn away from in order to turn toward God?” Each Sunday we’ll hear a story that invites us to ask that question in different ways.

In addition to worship on Sunday, there will be lots of opportunities for reflection, prayer and growth during Lent. I’ll be teaching a special six-week Sunday School class down in room 109. We’ll be looking at the last 24 hours of Jesus’ earthly life, based on a study by Adam Hamilton. For those of you not currently involved in a Sunday School class, this might be a good way to explore this season and what it means for you.

The Spiritual Formation Committee is putting together a book table with suggested readings during this season. They’ll also have devotional guides for us based on the writings of Henri Nouwen as he reflected on the story of the Prodigal Son.

Lent invites us to find more time in our lives for prayer, silence and reflection. Sometimes, it’s hard to find that space in our lives, so on Wednesday nights the Sanctuary will be open after dinner for you to come and pray. Of course, throughout the week the Sanctuary and the Prayer Room (across from the kitchen) are always open for you. Personally, I like the Quiet Room just outside the Sanctuary. You can see the cross and the altar, but you’re also enclosed in a quiet space apart from the world.

Often, we think of Lent as a time to “give something up,” and that may be just what God is calling you to do. If you find that your hurrying keeps you from God, then you might want to give up driving over the speed limit. If you find yourself preoccupied with food or videogames, you might want to give up snacks or Angry Birds. But whatever practice you choose, it should be about you and your relationship with God. This is a time to open ourselves fully to the loving gaze of God and ask, “How is it with my soul? What is getting between God and me?”

Let’s walk through this season together. Call me if you want to talk or pray together. Come to worship on Wednesday and on Sundays. Pick out a book. Read Nouwen’s devotional guide every day. Start a new prayer practice. Let us keep a holy Lent. Together.

One of the things I love about this church is our openness. Several years ago, The United Methodist Church developed a motto that you may have seen on church signs, television commercials and publications: “Open hearts, open minds, open doors.” I always liked that description of the UMC, and I’m so glad to be part of a congregation that truly embodies openness.

Christ UMC is a congregation that is open in so many ways: open to new ideas, new ministries, new people, and new ways of worshiping. We are open with our hearts, with our minds, with our hands…and even with our building. Did you know that there are ministries going on in our building every day of the week? Did you know that there are 12-step groups, watercolor classes and a home school band that meet here every week? There are community groups and Bible studies and prayer groups and scrapbooking groups. The list goes on and on.

Last week, I ran into a cousin of mine walking through the halls. She was here to help organize a debate tournament that’s taking place in our church in a few weeks. She went on and on about how gracious everyone had been and how she felt the spirit of Christ so powerfully in this place. I was glad to hear that this congregation’s hospitality was real and alive.

One of the benefits of being open and sharing our building and ministry with others is that we get unique opportunities to
connect with others in the body of Christ. I want to tell you about two upcoming events that highlight our “connectedness.”

As you may know, there is an Anglican congregation that worships in the sanctuary on Saturday afternoons. For the second year in a row, we will join with them in an Ash Wednesday service. This year’s service is on February 22. We will share in a simple meal of beans and rice beforehand in order to remember the poor across the world whose primary diet consists of rice and beans. Then at 6:30 we’ll move into the sanctuary. Rev. Kenny Benge, pastor of the St. John’s congregation, will be preaching. He and I will preside together at the communion table, and our congregations will join together in receiving communion and the imposition of ashes. I hope you’ll plan to begin the 40-day season of Lent with this powerful experience of worship.

Then on Sunday, February 26, at 6:00 pm our congregation will join with the Wesley Foundation at Tennessee State University in hosting the second annual Black History Celebration. We will gather in the sanctuary to worship and honor five “Living Legends,” African-American leaders who have made a lasting impact in our community. This was an amazing and powerful service last year—just ask the members of the choir! I hope you’ll mark your calendars and plan to be there.

Having “open hearts, open minds, and open doors” gives us so many opportunities to worship, learn and serve. I thank God for your openness, and I look forward to sharing God’s love and ministry with you and all of God’s people over the next few weeks.