Dear Friends and Family of RRUMC,
Rev. Dan Bogre, Senior Pastor at RRUMC
As winter slowly loses its grip on us over the next few weeks, we are anxiously awaiting the journey through the season of Lent.
Ash Wednesday is on March 6th this year. We will be having our potluck family dinner that night in Beacon Hall followed by our Ash Wednesday worship service. At that service, we will receive communion and have the imposition of ashes. That night will once again begin our journey from the ashes to the empty tomb. How will you approach Lent this year?
This Lenten season, we will be walking through Adam Hamilton’s book entitled, “Simon Peter.” In the introduction, Hamilton says, “While Simon Peter’s shortcomings are clearly on display in the Gospels, so also are his courage, his determination, his longing to follow Jesus even if it costs him his life.” I feel like Peter represents all of us in our faith journey.
There are times when we feel as though we are following Jesus in every aspect of our lives. There are also those times when we deny that we even know our Lord and Savior. We can find solace and peace then when we look at Peter as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Peter lets us know that there are times in our faith story when things are not going as we had planned or hoped for in our lives. He also lets us know that there will be those times when we are dialed in.
In all cases, Peter was still a disciple of Jesus Christ. That part of who Peter was never left him no matter where he was in his faith journey. Even after Peter had denied Jesus three times and went right back to being a fisherman, Jesus once again made his way into Peter’s life and called him three times to come back into the fold as a sheep following the Good Shepherd.
As you approach Lent this year, think about where you are in your faith story. Which Peter are you as you make your way from the ashes to the empty tomb?
The sermon series title for this Lent will be the subtitle of Hamilton’s book, “Flawed but Faithful.” In our six weeks of Lent, we will wrestle with those two sides of Peter, knowing that those are the same two sides that we battle as modern disciples of Jesus Christ striving to walk in the way that leads to life.
Please be there on Ash Wednesday. Plan to be there at all of the services throughout Lent as each Sunday will be one more step in your very own faith journey from the ashes to the empty tomb. The road will be winding, but it will always lead to Jesus.
Let’s journey together. I’ll see you on Ash Wednesday, March 6.
May God bless us as we journey together this Lent as his modern day, “flawed but faithful,” disciples.
His,
Rev. Dan