Tuesday we will gather together at Sunset to enjoy community and PANCAKES!! It's Shrove Tuesday which is followed by Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of our Lenten Journey.  Let's be clear, we are totally on board with the Pancake celebration, but we don't do much with Wednesday.  Tradition states that the palm branches from the year before are burned down to ash, and then Wednesday we take them and mark each other with a sign of the cross as a way of confession and blessing.  Some United Churches do this ritual... We haven't done it at Sunset since I started mostly because of timing.  This year is no different.  Hopefully next year...

The arrival of Lent, though, often gets us thinking about ritual and tradition.  Traditionally, Lent is a time of repentance, solmenity, and giving up temptations.  We eagerly ask friends and family what they plan to give up... will it be chocolate this year or coffee?  What about Facebook or Reddit? Are you cutting down on screen time or gossiping or... Before you ask me in person, I am planning on giving up alcohol for Lent as an effort to renew my efforts of a more healthy lifestyle.  That being said, I also believe that Lent can be a time of taking things on.  Our Lent in a Bag for instance... today you were invited to take home a paper bag of symbols with scripture and reflection questions as a way of taking on intentional reflection at home during Lent.  While I plan to do some giving up, I am challenging myself to take something on.  I have committed to taking on the routine of weekly blogging.  I know I have been fairly negligent in this sphere of ministry but after hearing that folk actually do check here on occassion, I thought maybe I would take it on.  I am not sure what I will talk about each week, and I can't guarantee that it will be deeply meaningful or grammatically correct, but I will do my best.

In return, I would like to challenge you to taking something on for me - this blog has a comment section.  I would love for you to use the comments as a way of engaging in this blog -- consider it an on-line dialogue.  I would love to hear what you think about something I've said, or if your spirit has been sparked by something I've written.  Maybe, over time, this blog can become a place of community sharing rather than just my meandering thoughts.

As we make this Lenten journey together, may we know that the Divine journeys with us, gently and insistenly encouraging us to be loving beacons in this world.  Amen and amen