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Pastoral Letter on Ash Wednesday, 2025
Dear Congregation,Welcome to Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent 2025. This evening, we will gather in Ripley Chapel at 7:30 PM for our Ash Wednesday service, which will include beautiful Taizé music, scripture readings, a time of corporate confession, and the imposition of ashes—either on the forehead or hand. We hope you’ll join us as we begin this season of reflection and renewal together. (Note: we will not be live-streaming the service.)
Lent invites us to journey more deeply with God and grow in our walk with Jesus. Traditionally, the three pillars of Lent—fasting, almsgiving, and prayer—help us draw closer to God. Many people observe this season by giving something up, such as sweets, alcohol, social media, unnecessary spending, or meat. These practices can serve as reminders of how easily we become addicted to certain things and how much we need God’s presence to sustain us.
But Lent can also be a time to take something on—a renewed commitment to generosity, acts of service, or deepening our prayer life. In a world where many are struggling—where diversity, equity, and inclusion are under attack, where international alliances are being undermined, and where vulnerable communities, including our immigrant and trans neighbors, face increasing threats—our support for organizations doing good work is more important than ever.
And then, of course, there is prayer. Lent offers an opportunity to cultivate a deeper connection with God through intentional prayer. One simple practice is engaging with scripture through Lectio Divina—choosing a book of the Bible, dividing it into daily readings, and allowing a word or phrase to guide your prayer each day. There are also many daily prayer and scripture apps available. Or consider this practice we shared with our Confirmation Youth this past Sunday—a five-minute iPhone prayer (see below).
However you choose to observe Lent—whether by giving something up, taking something on, or simply moving through the season with greater awareness—we hope you will find support through our church community. May this season prepare us to approach Easter with renewed hearts, making the arrival of spring and the celebration of the Resurrection even more meaningful in our lives.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Will Burhans (on behalf of the Ministry Team)
iPhone Prayer: For one minute go to your text feed and pray for the last few people you texted with. For another minute go to a news app and pray for the first news headlines that appear. For a 3rd minute go to a social media app and pray for the people in the first few posts you see. For the 4th minute go to your photos and pray for the first 10 or so people you come across. And for the 5th minute, go to your notes app and write a prayer that involves praise, petition, confession, or whatever inspires you in the moment.
– From Traci Smith’s book “Faithful Families: Creating Sacred Moments at Home”
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