Lent is upon us! We willingly take the journey towards the rocky cross, we spend our 40 days in the wilderness. On Ash Wednesday, we imposed ashes on people’s foreheads, reminding them that they come from dust and to dust they shall return. Thanks to this year’s 4th grade class, who burned the palms for us this year, we had ashes to spread on people’s foreheads. This year, our focus is on stones for the mid-week worships. From the stones of the Covenant, to Jesus, the foundation stone for life. God will see us through this rocky ride for sure!
As we eagerly await Spring and that glorious Easter morn when Jesus rises from the dead, the Lenten journey is a great thing to focus on. Please come to one, or all of the mid-week soup suppers and short meditative worship services that are offered. Invite others that you know, or who are even related to you, to come to these Lenten experiences. With your participation, the Soup Suppers and Worship will be very successful, as well as creating more meaning in your life, and in the lives of those you touch.
That was my word to you of inviting…..of Evangelism, you might say. We have some great things at Norway Grove and they are worth sharing with those we meet! Be inviting!! That is our role. It is up to the one invited to accept the invitation. Let this be your Lenten discipline, to be more inviting to others.
One of our council meetings recently began with a devotion about Evangelism: A way of Life. It comes from a booklet entitled: Discovering Hope, Catch the Spirit, Grow the Church. There were some interesting things in this devotion that are worth sharing. As far as practice goes, the definition is this: Effective congregations exhibit a holistic approach to evangelism built on relationships, centered around events, and focused on meeting the specific needs of people in the community. Evangelism is a word and a concept that has been very misunderstood by many Lutherans. We are just kind of shy about sharing our faith with others, even though we may believe that having a relationship with Jesus is the best thing in the world that there is. We don’t want to be pushy, and we really don’t need to be, in my book, but that doesn’t mean that we are not called to reach out to others. Jesus really is at the root of it all. Jesus is our motivation for being the Church, and for inviting others to experience Christian community. It is all because of the love and sacrifice, and new life that Jesus offers to the entire world. As far as evangelism goes, the first invitation comes to the Church, where our faith openly has a home. An invitation to worship, to an activity, an event, or a small group gathering are ways for us to become more familiar and comfortable with each other, and to offer opportunities for God to work in people’s lives. The devotional cautions us to make no mistake……that while the invitation starts with an event or gathering, the bottom line of the invitation is always ultimately to Jesus!
Making evangelism a way of life means that when you encounter someone in your life, who could use an invitation, your first thought should be to invite them to church. And then don’t only think it—do it! Mention your inviting to others at church. See if others also know the same person, and encourage them to invite as well. Being invited by many makes people feel wanted and takes away some of the risk of entering into a new faith community for the first time, because they already know some people, and have been invited. Wouldn’t it be great for us to share our Lenten Journey with others who have not yet been to the cross in such a meaningful way as we focus on in the Lutheran Church? Wouldn’t it be awesome to share the Seder meal and the Last Supper that Jesus has with his disciples, the solemness of Good Friday, only to wake up to the renewed hope and celebration of “Jesus is Risen!” Thanks be to God.
Pastor Kathy
