904 Washington St SE, Olympia, WA 98501
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March 2025
As the calendar turns over and we find ourselves entering the month of March, the church of Christ—followers, here on the corner of 9th and Washington, joins our brother and sisters and their communities of faith across our global village, to walk the season we call Lent. Over the next 40 plus days, Lent calls us to intentionally examine the condition of our heart(s). The condition of our souls. To take stock in our relationship with God, through the Holy One, Jesus Christ. It asks us to do the hard work of looking at our broken bits and pieces, our attitudes, blind spots and seek repentance. In other words, to identify what needs God’s healing, forgiving, reconciling heart of grace and turn around and move toward those gifts, that are given to us freely and unconditionally. It’s the mysterious process we call Grace.
Throughout Lent we will examine stories from Luke’s gospel that focuses on our hearts, our conditions, our struggles, etc. The journey is hard. It can be hard, uncomfortable, disorienting, but along the way we will also discover (fingers crossed) moments of joy, some laughter and most importantly: Hope and Good News!
It all begins on March 5th, Ash Wednesday. We will gather that night, at 6:30 p.m., in the Sanctuary as a faith community. We will sing, read and hear from God’s story, pray, perhaps share a word with those around us, and receive the sign of the cross, in ashes, on our fore-heads. Though this is a community event, this night provides a safe and secure sacred space for you and God to be made known to one another. If you’re an introvert and just want to come and sit and be, you are welcomed. If you’re more extroverted and look forward to seeing and being with others, you too are welcomed. For those who just want to come to be with the community, to be with God, to find some acceptance, hope, good news, you are welcomed.
We come together the night of Ash Wednesday to begin the journey that the season of Lent offers us, that begins with examining and determining the condition of our heart. This discovery, acceptance, process, may take no time at all or it may unfold slowly over the next 40 plus days. However long it takes, the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, says that there will come a day and time, when promise of new life, new beginnings, new opportunities, etc., will be born, and be born again. We’ve been here before, my brothers and sisters. The story is true. You and I, we, are being remade, repurposed, redeemed by the mysterious and surprising work of God, in Christ and through the elusive Spirit.
For Lent, hold onto this truth throughout your journey, whatever the condition of your Heart:
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Blessings and Joy! Humble over Hype!
Pastor Mark (Rev)
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