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We’ll gather to begin the Lenten journey toward the cross on Ash Wednesday. Reflective Music | Contemplative Environment | Readings & Prayer for Ash Wednesday | Imposition of Ashes In the Sanctuary at Central UMC beginning at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, March 9

Our new worship series, Cross Purposes, will begin this coming Sunday. What has the cross meant to followers of Jesus over the centuries? What might the meaning of the cross be for us today? Join us in worship for this Lenten series.

Making a special cake for Mardi Gras is popular in New Orleans…and rumor has it that there just might be a King Cake after worship this Sunday! The History of King Cakes Epiphany, celebrated in European countries, marks the coming of the wise men who brought gifts to the Christ Child. Epiphany is celebrated twelve nights after Christmas. People from all over the world celebrate Epiphany by exchanging gifts and feasting. A very popular custom that is still celebrated is…

Pastor Steve Garnaas-Holmes writes, Shrove Tuesday.  Fat Tuesday.  Mardi Gras.  Pancakes.   Today is one day to whoop it up and enjoy all the stuff you’re going to be repenting of for the next forty. Now is the time to get it out of your system. But what, exactly?  Does Mardi Gras suggest that it may be best to begin the Lenten season of repentance with a hangover and a sense of guilt for how you carried on yesterday?  Besides the…

Here are few more thoughts on the significance of Mardi Gras: In France, the period of revelry before Lent is known to be especially raucous. The term Mardi Gras is a French expression meaning “Fat Tuesday” — referring to the indulgent nature of the pre-Lenten celebration. The name may have been more than just allegorical, however. Ancient pagans often marked their fertility ritual by parading a fattened ox through the town before sacrificing it. It was also the French who…

During December of 2010 we tried to Make Sense of Christmas by understanding the history behind many of our traditions.  There is much history to learn about Mardis Gras as well: Historians tell us that the ancient Romans probably kicked off the Mardi Gras celebrations. Their mid-February festival known as Lupercalia honored the god Lupercus, alternately known as the god of fertility and the god of agriculture and pastoral shepherds. In either case, his party definitely had Mardi Gras-like qualities,…

We’ll celebrate faith, community, and our love of  God & neighbor through song on the final Sunday before we enter Lent and journey together toward the cross. Join us in worship this Sunday at 10:30 am.  Some of the finest jazz musicians in town will be leading us in song. I’ll Fly Away | Just a Closer Walk with Thee | In the Glory Land | When the Saints Go Marching In | and more… Max DePree, in Leadership Jazz, writes,…

Luce Irigaray writes, Instead of being light opposed to darkness, or knowledge opposed to ignorance, truth is light which does not give up mystery…never total never authoritarian or dogmatic, but light always shared between two subjects irreducible to one another (as quoted by Catherine Keller in On the Mystery: Discerning Divinity in Process, 42).

The United Methodist Book of Discipline (2008) concludes a section titled Our Theological Task (#104, page 85-6) with the following: A convincing witness to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can contribute to the renewal of our faith, bring persons to that faith, and strengthen the Church as an agent of healing and reconciliation. This witness, however, cannot fully describe or encompass the mystery of God. Though we experience the wonder of God’s grace at work with us and among…

Our reading for Sunday will be Matthew 6.24-34.  Read the full text here. The reading begins, 24“No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

John Wesley, in the Preface to Explanatory Notes to the Old Testament, outlines ways to search the Scriptures.  You’ll find a link to Wesley’s framework and further reading here.  Wesley writes, If you desire to read the scripture in such a manner as may most effectually answer this end, would it not be advisable, 1. To set apart a little time, if you can, every morning and evening for that purpose? 2. At each time if you have leisure, to…

Kevin Watson writes, Searching the scriptures is important to discipleship…because it is the primary place where one finds guidance for how to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Just as it is not controversial to suggest that Christians should spend time in prayer, it is not likely to stir up controversy to suggest that Christians should read the Bible. However, saying that it is important and actually doing it can be very different things (A Blueprint for Discipleship, 87).