Experiencing God in New Ways Together- Two Opportunities in Lent

I want to share with you two opportunities during the Lenten season that I hope will begin to prepare our hearts for Easter.  The 40-days of Lent starts on March 5th with Ash Wednesday.  Whether you are in Michigan, or have headed south for warmer weather, we want to gather both in-person and online during Lent to pray and study.  These 40 days of Lent are will be an opportunity to grow in our faith together.

A Lenten Study.

We are going to be gathering Wednesday nights, 6:30-7:30, for five weeks between Ash Wednesday and Easter in person and online. (March 12,19,26; April 2, 9).   We will be in-person at the church in the Trustee Room praying, studying scripture, and sharing how God has been challenging you during this season.  If you can’t make it to downtown Detroit, we will also be sending out an online link, to those who sign up, so you can join us from home and participate in the discussion and prayer. Our guide through this season will be a devotional book called “Pauses for Lent” by Trevor Hudson.  We will have this daily devotional guide available for you before Lent begins, or you can order one yourself.  The suggested donation for the book is $10.00 (our cost).  If you write a check please put “Lent book” in the memo.

If you regularly attend Mariners Church, you can sign up outside Charlotte’s office. You can also reply to this email and I will make sure you receive a book and a link.  Let us know if you are coming in-person or joining online (or a hybrid of both).

If you are outside of the area, reply to this email and let me know that you will be joining us remotely.  We will be sending out a zoom link each week.  If we have never met, I’m looking forward to talking and getting to know each other.

A Day of Service and Prayer.

A second opportunity we would like everyone to consider is pausing on Monday, March 3, before Lent begins, to serve and pray with others at Mariners’.

At 11am we will start serving at the Pope Francis Center (Bridge House, https://popefranciscenter.org where we will be preparing meals and organizing the donation center.  This time, which will include lunch, will be from 11-2pm.

After serving at the Pope Francis Center, we will travel directly to Mariners’ Church and have a time of prayer.  We will be praying together and separately throughout the building for the world, our city, and our church (2:30-5pm) .  After a lite dinner at 5pm, we will end our time with a Eucharistic service, finishing up around 6:30 or 7pm.

We realize participating on this Monday may mean changing your regular plans or taking a day off from work.  Please consider making this change in schedule as we look toward being part of the Lenten season together.  You could also participate for only half of the day, either serving or praying.

If you are interested in “A Day of Service and Prayer” or the Lenten Study or have questions, please contact the church office charlotte@marinerschurchofdetroit.org. or Rev. Todd by replying to this email.

I’m praying all of us experience the time of Lent as preparation of our hearts for an extraordinary Easter celebration. Spending this time together, and growing our love for God and one another will make it all the more special.

Please, reach out if you have any questions.

Blessings and peace,

Rev. Todd