January 30, 2026
Dear church,
A question that Pastor Reed and I find ourselves talking about a lot these days is: How do we sustain ourselves and our community through these days? How do we sustain our energy, our health, and our hope, so that we can be in it for the long haul, and not succumb to burnout, despair, or isolation? We are witnessing the ways that so many of you are adjusting your days to respond to the current crisis, and we know, it’s not like we started 2026 with a full tank. We’ve been worried, afraid, and appalled by the state of our country for a long time.
Lent begins in just a few weeks. Ready or not. What we have chosen for our Lenten theme at Grace this year is: “Sustained by Community.” We are going to focus on sustenance for the long haul. We are going to examine more fully the rituals and words that we gather around every Sunday because, in them, is sustenance for life.
This year we are going to use the Sundays in Lent to tend to community and the sustenance it provides. The hour after worship (10:45-11:45a) will be an intentional time for community-building. We will gather all together in Friendship Hall, we’ll learn about the rituals that center us as a Christian community (see schedule below), and then we’ll have time to turn to each other in small groups for sharing and conversation. This time is all about strengthening our connections to each other and to God, and we want you to be part of it!
Schedule for Sundays in Lent:
• February 22: Sustained by being together (Gathering)
• March 1: Sustained by being real (Confession and Forgiveness)
• March 8: Sustained by a living word (Scripture)
• March 15: Sustained by prayer and peace (Prayers and Sharing of Peace)
• March 22: Sustained by the table (Communion)
• March 29: Sustained by a calling in the world (Sending)
Sign-up here or in the narthex.
We are asking people to sign-up, simply so that we can see who’s interested and have a sufficient amount of materials prepared. Please sign-up if you intend to come once, some of the time, or to all six sessions.
Hold fast. Keep going. You are not alone.
Pastor Sarah
Every Friday, we send an email to the congregation and any others who would like to learn more about the Grace community. The last four Friday emails are posted below.