| Ash Wednesday is tomorrow and marks the beginning of a 40-day period of spiritual preparation leading up to Easter that we call “Lent.” As early as the council of Nicaea in the 4th century, Christians have practiced this period to prepare their hearts and spirits for the celebration of Easter. Why 40 days? 40 is a big number in the Bible that is associated with preparation. Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai receiving God’s message. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness before being allowed to enter the Promised Land. And Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness being tempted by the devil as he began his own ministry. From Luke 4: Jesus returned from the Jordan River full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. There he was tempted for forty days by the devil. He ate nothing during those days and afterward Jesus was starving. The devil said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus replied, “It’s written, People won’t live only by bread.” Next the devil led him to a high place and showed him in a single instant all the kingdoms of the world. The devil said, “I will give you this whole domain and the glory of all these kingdoms. It’s been entrusted to me and I can give it to anyone I want. Therefore, if you will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It’s written, You will worship the Lord your God and serve only him.” The devil brought him into Jerusalem and stood him at the highest point of the temple. He said to him, “Since you are God’s Son, throw yourself down from here; for it’s written: He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you and they will take you up in their hands so that you won’t hit your foot on a stone.” Jesus answered, “It’s been said, Don’t test the Lord your God.” After finishing every temptation, the devil departed from him until the next opportunity. Traditionally, the church has fasted and prayed during this time of Lent, remembering Jesus’ 40-day fast before his ministry. When tempted by the devil, Jesus relied on scripture to help refute these 3 temptations and to hold strong to 3 big ideas: 1. People need more than bread 2. Worship the Lord your God and serve only him 3. Don’t put the Lord your God to the test. This Lenten season, what is it that you are facing? Is it one of these three things? Where might you need encouragement or support from scripture and from the Holy Spirit these 40 days? Whether we fast or not, this season is a good reminder to rely on God and to place our trust in Jesus. Scripture, prayer, and fasting are all tried and true tools that help us connect with God, and I hope you’ll consider picking up a new practice or rhythm of spiritual devotion during these days. In the announcements below, there is information on how to sign up for the daily emailed Lenten journal that I’ll be following this season; that may or may not be another helpful way for you to connect with God. May this Lent be a reminder of our need for God, and may this time help us reorient our lives around Jesus over-and-above all other earthly authorities and priorities. Blessings this week, Friends! Bobby Kirkpatrick |
| Digital Lenten Devotional |
| If you would like to join us this Lenten season in devotion, we will be reading and praying through the 40 Day Journey with Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This 40 day devotional will explore the meaning of faith, suffering, and grace, and it can be accessed by clicking the button below. You can simply bookmark that page and move through each day on your own. Through the link, there is also an option to sign up for daily email reminders. We recommend signing up for the email reminders on March 5th, the official first day of Lent. Contact the church office if you have any questions. |
| Link to 40 Day Devotional |
| Church Family Directory |
| Thank you to everyone that completed Step 1 for the new church directory! If you still need to complete Step 1, you can do so here. Step 2 is now available to access on your computer or mobile device! You can begin the Step 2 process by visiting the Instant Church Directory member website: https://members.instantchurchdirectory.com/signup. Or you can download the Instant Church Directory app on your mobile device via the app store for apple users or google play store for android users. No matter how you choose to access Instant Church Directory, you will be asked to enter your email address as it’s listed on the form you provided in Step 1. If you entered an email for multiple adults in your household, you should be able to use either email to create a login. If you completed Step 1 and your email address isn’t found in the directory, email Jennifer Barmore or call the church office so we can help you be added. Once you enter your email address, follow the directions on-screen to complete the log-in process. After logging in, either on the website or in the app, click “Edit My Family.” This is where you will be able to add in a family picture, include birthdays or anniversaries, or make information private so only the church office has access to the information. We would love to have as many pictures and information included as possible by March 25th in order to make a few physical copies of the online directory available. If you would still like to be included in the online directory, you can be added anytime. Simply fill out the form by clicking Step 1 below to get the process started. If you have any questions about the process or need help completing any of the steps, please contact the church office or look for Katelyn in the Coffee Cafe on Sunday after the service. We are happy to help! |
| Children’s Corner |
| VBS Registration for church families is here! On March 9th, Jennifer and Tena will be registering any and all church family potty-trained 3 year olds – 5th graders. Registration opens to the community on March 11th. VBS is June 23rd-27th and will cost $45 per child. We will also need many hands to help put together a successful VBS program. Adult and Student Volunteers are appreciated and needed. Please use the buttons below register. Even if you cannot physically volunteer, we thank you for praying for the many children and adults that will be on our campus in June. |
| Adult Volunteers Student Volunteers |
| Student Ministries Update |
| JH Bible Quiz |
| Thank you for praying for our JH Bible Quiz team as they completed in Derby, KS last weekend. Friendswood Blue 2nd place and Friendswood Red 5th place. Make sure you save the date and come watch these quizzers compete in Friendswood at their next meet on March 29th. |
| Game Night! |
| Bring your favorite card or board game and join us for a Game Night!Sunday, March 9th.Fuse 6:00 pmCore 7:30 pm |
| February 2025 Financial Update |
| February Income: $56,641.85 February Expense: $77,879.61 Cash flow deficit: ($21,237.76) YTD Income as of 2/28: $215,573.87 Year-to-date Expense: $152,976.32 YTD Cash flow surplus: $62,597.55 |
| Missions Night |
| Save the Date for Missions Night on March 30th from 5:30-7:00 pm. There will be fun kid-friendly activities and a call with one of our missionaries. We can’t wait to explore how God is working around the world with you. |
| Love. Learn. Listen. |
