Getting to Know You, God
Lent begins this year with Ash Wednesday on February 10. This holy season of the church year is a time of preparation as we move toward Good Friday and Easter. It is a time of prayer, reflection, silence, repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation, and renewal on our spiritual journey.
Vespers & All That Jazz, meeting each Sunday evening at 6:30-7:15, has as its Lenten theme: “Getting to Know You, God.” The services will provide a time of contemplation, silence, musical inspiration, and contemporary readings to aid us on the journey to Easter. Explored will be familiar scriptures including Jesus’ temptation, Mary’s anointing of Jesus, the Passion Story as told by Luke, and the empty tomb discovered by the women.
Listed below are the scriptures and themes for each Sunday:
February 14 “Led by the Spirit: Getting Our Priorities in Order” Luke 4:1-13
February 21 “Living with God” Psalm 27
February 28 “God Satisfies Your Thirst” Isaiah 55:1-9
March 6 “Sin and Reconciliation” Psalm 32:1-5; 2 Corinthians 5:20
March 13 “She Anointed Jesus” John 12:1-8
March 20 “The Passion Story as Told by Luke” Luke 22 and 23
March 27 “Rejoice: Our Work Has Just Begun” Luke 24:1-12
The music will provide us with inspiration, comfort, hope and joy. Familiar hymns and spirituals will be part of the services including “Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley,” Malotte’s version of “The Lord’s Prayer,” and “Deep River.” Other music may be new to you such as “O Lord, Hear My Prayer” from Taizé, “Go in Peace” by Barb Waters and Ken White, and “The Blue Green Hills of Earth” from Paul Winter’s Missa Gaia.
Lent is a journey into the unknown, but with new glimpses of our God along the way. Brian Wren states in his hymn “Bring Many Names”:
“Great living God, never fully known,
joyful darkness far beyond our seeing,
closer yet than breathing, everlasting home;
Hail and Hosanna great, living God.”
No we cannot fully know God, but God is living within our world today. Experience God anew this Lent.
Joyce D. Sohl has been Laywoman-in-Residence since 2009 as a full-time volunteer. She retired as CEO of United Methodist Women in 2004. She is the author of 4 books, a teacher, retreat leader, writer and non-professional musician. Here at the Center her work is in the area of Spirituality & the Arts with such programs as Tuesdays in the Chapel, Vespers & All That Jazz, Poet’s Corner, and quarterly retreats and art exhibits.