Dear Friends,

We are in Lent. I spent some time on Ash Wednesday saying to folks: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." I know that I often forget things. I don't just mean the groceries and such. Many of us forget the parts about forgiveness and God's love and seem only to recall the judgment of sins or some notion of not being good enough. Lent calls us to remember. 

I will grant that the Ash Wednesday remembrance is a call to consider our mortality. If you heard my Ash Wednesday sermon, you know that I emphasized that such a remembrance connects us with everybody (and with all creation now that I think about it.) We practice things like fasting, prayer, and service to remind us to love God and one another. That sounds really simple, but I know how easy it is to let a practice slip. As you think about any fast you might be making it Lent, consider it as a cue to remember your connection to others. Let the absence of something remind you of the presence of God with you. 

We do have opportunities to practice remembering. Our worship is the primary way we remember as a community. There are also many opportunities listed here in the newsletter that can help you remember God's presence with you. In remembering the presence we are equipped to be the presence of Christ to others. Remember that you are God's beloved child and remind someone that they are too.

Peace,

Fr. John Mark