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LENT March 2023 Matters of Faith Faith United Church of Christ 1001 5th Street, International Falls, MN 56649 218-283-2486 Sunday Worship 11:15 a.m. Minister’s Musings Greetings members of the United Church of Christ, As we began the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday, we were called to reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Easter. Lent is a time of introspection, prayer, and self-discipline, a time to turn our hearts and minds towards God. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, and lasts for forty days, culminating in the joyous celebration of Easter. During this time, we are called to fast, give alms, and pray more fervently. It is a time to put aside our own wants and desires and to focus on the needs of others, to give up something we enjoy in order to draw closer to God. One of the most meaningful practices of Lent is fasting, which involves giving up a specific food or activity for the duration of the season. Fasting is a way of denying ourselves and focusing on our spiritual needs. By giving up something that we enjoy, we are reminded of the sacrifice that Jesus made for us and the importance of putting our faith and our relationship with God first. In addition to fasting, we are also encouraged to give alms during Lent. Almsgiving involves donating money or goods to those in need, and it is an important part of our Christian faith. By sharing our blessings with others, we can help to ease their suffering and bring hope to those who are struggling. Finally, Lent is a time of prayer. We are called to deepen our relationship with God through prayer and meditation, to reflect on our lives and our faith, and to seek guidance and strength from the Holy Spirit. We can also use this time to pray for others, to ask for healing and peace in our communities and in the world. Let us embrace this season of reflection and self-discipline with open hearts and minds. Let us use this time to draw closer to God and to one another, and to be mindful of the needs of those around us. May this season of Lent be a time of renewal and transformation for us all. Blessings, Joe Belanger We will be joining Zion and Holy Trinity again this year for Wednesday midweek services. Midweek Lenten Services This year's Lenten Midweek Series is entitled Sing with All the Saints in Glory. We have a rich calendar of saints—Christians from every age who have pointed to Christ in their living and dying. In remembering these Christians who have gone before, we find inspiration for our Christian journey. This Lenten midweek series honors the commemorations that occur during the weeks in Lent in 2023. Commemorating these individuals is a starting point for a deeper engagement with our Christian faith. Service dates are the Wednesdays in March (1, 8, 15, 22, 29) with a soup/supper at 6:00 pm and service at 7:00 pm. Responsible for soup: March 1 - Zion March 8 - Holy Trinity March 15 - Faith United March 22 - Holy Trinity March 29 - Zion Location All dinners and services will be held at Zion Lutheran Church, 530 6th Street, International Falls. This year, we'd like to ask a core of people to assist in the kitchen to set up, serve, and clean up on a weekly basis or whenever they're available. The offering will be equally divided and donated to Servants of Shelter, Falls Hunger Coalition, and Backus Community Cafe. Ash Wednesday and Lent are significant observances for Christians, providing an opportunity for reflection, growth, and renewal. As we move deeper into this season of repentance, let us seek to deepen our faith and draw closer to God, preparing our hearts for the celebration of Easter. We look forward to worshiping with you as we honor the saints and draw closer to God. Yours in Christ. Joe Thank you to ALL who participated in the Elephant Eaters February 19th Soupbowl Event. It was a spectacular success and raised $142.00 plus an extra direct check donation of $100.00 for the Koochiching County Food Access (KCFA), (the organization until recently known as Falls Hunger Coalition). Excellent work, guys and gals! The Little Red Wagon Elephant Eaters is collecting shelf stable food for the KCFA throughout the month of March. Anything you wish to donate will be gratefully accepted! Please put you gifts in the Little Red Wagon, which will be stationed by the Main Front Doors of the church. Thank you!! Following this note you will find a whole lot of things you didn’t know had their own special day. Some of them are worthy of consideration, and some are just weird juxtapositions (March 6th for starters). My spouse liked March 9th. I think March 28th should be a National Holiday. March 30th #1 made me laugh out loud. (I wish!) And March 31st left me with an image of an overflowing kitchen sink, probably not what was intended. Browse through a few, and celebrate whatever takes your fancy……. but Beware the Ides of March! Meeting Dates to Remember Next Connect Café at Faith– 2nd Wednesday of the Month 8th March 2023 at 1 pm Memory Cafe – 4th Wednesday of the Month 22nd March 2023 at 1 pm Call: Koochiching Aging Options at 218.283.7030 for more Information. ~~~~~~~~ Evangelism & Membership Committee Wednesday March 8th at 1 pm ~~~~~~~~ Elephant Eaters Thursday March 9th At Noon in the Fireside Room ~~~~~~~~ The Acoustic Jam March 11th at 2 pm The Commons ~~~~~~~~ Finance Meeting 14th March at 1 pm Fireplace Room ~~~~~~~~ Council Meeting 26th March after the service Fireplace Room ~~~~~~~~ |
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