Minister's Musings

February, 2010

Dear Friends,

It’s a snow day as I write this. Here in the church I am alone, except for the occasional person who has braved the storm to be out and about. It is a different sort of day than usual because of the cancellation of normal activities. It is a different sort of day here in the church which is usually busy with activity. It seems to be a day to catch up on tasks not completed, like this Lenten Newsletter; a day to be more reflective; a day which feels sort of like ‘time outside of time’.

Time outside of time... that is a phrase which means sacred time. The season of Lent is a time outside of time that we live in the midst of regular time.

Lent is a season of preparation, a time of repentance. To repent is ‘to turn around’, to walk in new ways. United Church Moderator, Mardi Tindal says, that Lent is

“40 days of deep spiritual reflection on the mysterious paradoxes of our faith:
abundance found in sacrifice,
the intimate dance of suffering with joy,
life in the midst of death.”
~ Moderator’s Lenten Message ~

Yet these 40 days of reflection must be lived out in the midst of our busy lives in our busy world. How do we find time for the sacred ‘time outside of time’ in our busy lives? Of course, you know the answer to that one: we never will find the time, we must make the time. We make time for what is important to us.

I hope that you will make time for the sacred this Lent as you take part in Sunday worship and the special services of Holy Week, where we will focus on the Lenten journey of faith and the call of Christ. I hope you will make time to ask yourself important questions about what you believe and how you live that in your life in an active way.

Yesterday we were marked with the sign of the cross in ashes as we began our Lenten journey. While the ashes may now be washed away, may that cross continue to be before us and in our hearts.

Blessings,

 

Cheryl Kirk