“Be strong and courageous and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, our God is with you.” 1 Chronicles 28:20

Dear Friends: 

In the words of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, she pointedly identifies the lion as nothing but a coward. Frozen in fear and embarrassment, the lion responds to Dorothy: “You’re right…I haven’t any courage at all…” Dorothy and Lion and their companions, on they go to battle the wicked witch of the west, finally entering the land of Oz, bravely demanding a summit with Oz himself. Oz wisely tells Lion he’s a victim of “disorganized thinking”. Somehow, along the way, Lion has come to believe that if he chooses to avoid danger, he has no courage. Foolish, says Oz telling Lion he has no more courage than heroes who parade through town. What they do have that the cowardly Lion does not have? They have a medal. A badge of honor. Oz awards Lion with the Triple Cross admitting him into the Legion of Courage! 

We all carry courage within us. Too often, we must simply identify our courage. This season of Lent, beginning today with the imposition of Ashes at 7:00 a.m., noon, 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. we are reminded that we are God’s. Created from the dust of the earth, now we come before God asking for grace and guidance in taking the steps to correct our faults, cleanse the hardness from our hearths, and the courage to abstain from our desires with intention for these 40 days and 40 nights, growing deeper in our holy relationship with God as known to us in Jesus Christ. The discipline of Lent requires us to look deep within ourselves, perhaps in those desert places, where, through prayer, study of scripture and inward reflection, God’s badge of courage awaits us. The inward searching and seeking with Christ emboldens us to then, be in the world, to make a difference. 

So, start today with your ashes. Then, take on some Lenten disciplines. Sign up with seminarian Gwynn Crichton to submit a devotional. Attend the interfaith potluck dinner and dialogue. Fast from “stuff”. Declutter by packing up forty bags in forty days. Bring them to the back of the worship space for the yard sale on April 18th. Make a promise to worship every week during Lent. Join Cathy’s choir rehearsals on Thursday nights and sing with the choir on Easter! Pick up a “Lent in a Bag” to use at home during the forty days. Have courage! Do Lent: www.EpiphanyEC.org/lent

On Sunday, with Family Worship, we’ll be hiding the alleluias as a sign of this season of prayerful penitence where we’re called to go deeper, pray and ponder how Jesus sacrifices for us. Following worship along with holy donuts, the Outreach ministry will provide a feast for fellowship. Return Sunday at 4:00 to hear from Gwynn about her recent pilgrimage to Israel. Then, stay for sacred sounds and holy reflection with Celtic Worship at 5:30 p.m. 

May your Lent lead you to wear Christ’s badge of courage! 

Blessings,

Hillary