Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. On Wednesday, Feb 14 (Valentine's Day!) and last night, Sarah led us in a discussion about Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent and we reflected on our experiences after last night's Ash Wednesday service.
Here are Sarah's notes from the 14th:
Shrove Tuesday
Shrove Tuesday = Mardi Gras = Fat Tuesday = Carnival
-In all cultures, under all names, this is a time of celebration before the time of fasting and repentance of Lent begins.
Ash Wednesday
-This day marks the beginning of Lent. It is 46 days before Easter: Lent is considered 40 days long, but Sundays are already counted as commemorating Jesus' birth.
-At the Service the minister will put an ash cross on a prishioner's forehead. The ash typically comes from the palm fronds saved from last year's Palm Sunday service. The ash represents a Middle Eastern tradition of throwing ash over one's head to symbolize repentance before God. While placing the ash, the minister typically says: Genesis 3:19 "Remember, that you are dust And unto dust you shall return." Latin: Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris.
Lent
-Lent is a season of repentance, self-examination and awareness of the hurts of the people of the world. Before Jesus was crucified, he went into the wilderness for 40 days and fasted. It was a time of contemplation and reflection and a test of willpower against temptation. Participating in the Lenten season allows us to honor Jesus' sacrifice and helps us understand what he went through. In the first few centureis, all new Christians had to go through a bible study during Lent before they were allowed to be baptized on Easter.
Jesus is tempted to give up God's path and pursue his own ministry:
Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13
40 Day period of Lent
-The forty day period is symbolic as the number 40 is seen many other places...
--The forty days and forty nights of rain during Noah's trials (Gen 7:4, 12, 17; 8:6)
--Moses spent 40 days & 40 nights on Mt. Sinai (Ex 24:18)
--Elijah spent 40 nights in the wilderness before finding Sinai (1 Kings 19:8)
--The Jews wandered for forty years traveling to the Promised Land (Nm 13:25)
--The city of Nineveh was given forty days' grace in which to repent after Jonah's prophecy
--Jesus retreated into the wilderness and fasted for forty days of temptation
--Lastly, Jesus' ascension to heaven is 40 days after his resurrection (Acts 1:3)
Thanks, Sarah, for enlightening us about Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent. We hope this is helpful to all of you as you journey through Lent 2007!
Please note all of the upcoming meetings and events on the right hand side of the blog. Refer to it often for updates and mark your own calendars!
The bLT (bridge Leadership Team) would like to thank all of you for bearing with us through transitions that have been presented lately. We are very close to finalizing a Mission Statement and ground rules for meetings and are looking forward to implementing the changes that we feel will carry this group forward to better organization and more profound experiences.
We mentioned it last night and will continue to do so, that we are now using a new format on Wednesday nights that includes (in this order) fellowship time as we gather, a program, "bridge business," prayer requests and a closing prayer. As always, everyone is welcome to socialize after the meeting as well. We encourage everyone to allow the specified facilitator on any given Wednesday night to guide the group through this format. Our hope is that this will streamline our Wednesday evenings so that we can all get the most out of our time together. If you have "bridge business" (information about upcoming events, announcements, personal invites, etc) please give/send that information to a member of the bLT during the week so that we might present timely information to the rest of the group during business time on Wednesday nights. And feel free to use the Suggestion Box any time! The bLT consists of Amy, Ashok, Ellen, Jen, Sarah and me.
We hope to see many of you at Saturday's bridge Birthday Beach Bash and Potluck BBQ!!!
Yours in Christ, Rachel
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Friday, February 2, 2007
Update - February 2 - Happy Groundhog Day!
Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow this morning - so we can look forward to spring around the corner!
Amy led her fourth and final installment on Philippians on Wednesday and on behalf of the entire group I would like to THANK her so much for this series which has been interesting and informative. Thank you so much for taking it on, especially at this time of transition. It's been great!
Here are the thoughts and questions from Wednesday's meeting:
-What stands out to you from the study of Philippians?
-What might you hope to apply to your life?
-How are we like the believers in Philippi?
-How are we like Paul?
-What seems difficult about Paul's words to the believers at Philippi?
-Does anything seem confusing or impossible?
-There is something important about believers getting along with each other.
-Paul tells us "Don't Worry, Be Happy."
-Positive thinking can be an important part of our lives.
-Paul really did know how to be content in good and bad circumstances.
-Receive and experience the amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, deep, deep within yourselves.
And, as promised, Amy shared what she knows/could find out about Paul's death:
HOW DID PAUL DIE?
Well, we actually don’t know. Many assume he was sentenced to death following the trial he was awaiting in Rome when he wrote this letter. If so, he would have been beheaded rather than crucifixion, since it wasn’t legal to crucify a Roman citizen; beheading was much less tortuous. Others claim he left Rome after his trial before Nero and traveled to Spain and perhaps other places, but most believe he did ultimately die of beheading in Rome.
Eusebius, the 4th century bishop of Caesarea who is often called the first Church historian, records that the apostle Paul was executed in Rome during the persecution of the emperor and madman, Nero. Nero’s persecution of Christians lasted for four years, from 64 to 68AD. It was also during this persecution that the apostle Peter was executed. As a Roman citizen entitled to a quick death, Paul was beheaded. St. Gregory the Great, the 6th century pope, wrote that Paul’s execution took place on the left bank of the Tiber River on the Via Ostiensis, the road to the port of Ostia, and is buried near the site of the basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.
http://www.stpaulsirvine.org/html/saintpaul.html
Please refer to the list of upcoming meetings and events on the right side of the blog. There is lots of stuff coming up - hopefully something for everyone!
Have a fantastic week,
Rachel
Amy led her fourth and final installment on Philippians on Wednesday and on behalf of the entire group I would like to THANK her so much for this series which has been interesting and informative. Thank you so much for taking it on, especially at this time of transition. It's been great!
Here are the thoughts and questions from Wednesday's meeting:
-What stands out to you from the study of Philippians?
-What might you hope to apply to your life?
-How are we like the believers in Philippi?
-How are we like Paul?
-What seems difficult about Paul's words to the believers at Philippi?
-Does anything seem confusing or impossible?
-There is something important about believers getting along with each other.
-Paul tells us "Don't Worry, Be Happy."
-Positive thinking can be an important part of our lives.
-Paul really did know how to be content in good and bad circumstances.
-Receive and experience the amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, deep, deep within yourselves.
And, as promised, Amy shared what she knows/could find out about Paul's death:
HOW DID PAUL DIE?
Well, we actually don’t know. Many assume he was sentenced to death following the trial he was awaiting in Rome when he wrote this letter. If so, he would have been beheaded rather than crucifixion, since it wasn’t legal to crucify a Roman citizen; beheading was much less tortuous. Others claim he left Rome after his trial before Nero and traveled to Spain and perhaps other places, but most believe he did ultimately die of beheading in Rome.
Eusebius, the 4th century bishop of Caesarea who is often called the first Church historian, records that the apostle Paul was executed in Rome during the persecution of the emperor and madman, Nero. Nero’s persecution of Christians lasted for four years, from 64 to 68AD. It was also during this persecution that the apostle Peter was executed. As a Roman citizen entitled to a quick death, Paul was beheaded. St. Gregory the Great, the 6th century pope, wrote that Paul’s execution took place on the left bank of the Tiber River on the Via Ostiensis, the road to the port of Ostia, and is buried near the site of the basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.
http://www.stpaulsirvine.org/html/saintpaul.html
Please refer to the list of upcoming meetings and events on the right side of the blog. There is lots of stuff coming up - hopefully something for everyone!
Have a fantastic week,
Rachel
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