Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! I hope this newsletter finds you well!
How have you been doing with your New Year’s resolutions? If you’re like me, well, I’m still working on them, but January is behind us with all its resolutions and while I’m writing this article, we still have a few weeks of the Epiphany Season to go through until we get to Ash Wednesday on February 22nd. Every year, it seems like we move from the feasting of the Holiday Season to the fasting of Lent and as Ash Wednesday approaches, I often get asked the question if Ash Wednesday is a Roman Catholic thing. I included an article in this newsletter to answer that question.
We have much to look forward to this month before Ash Wednesday appears. The stage for our upcoming play was just completed. Many thanks to all the helping hands that made thatpossible. Rehearsals and stage production meetings are ramping up and will be in full swing for our play, Two Faces in the Shadows. The play will be held Friday, March 31st at 7:00 pm and Saturday, April 1st at 4:00 pm. This play is a 5 act play that takes place in the Upper Room where Jesus and his disciples had the Last Supper. The time frame for the play takes place late in the night Jesus was betrayed and arrested. Peter and Judas both find themselves back at the Upper Room late that night struggling with what had happened and their own part in the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. It is a moving play full of passion and drama. Roger Lackey will play Peter and I will play the part of Judas. At the end of each scene there will be a musical feature. Tickets will be available soon, so be on the lookout for them. We use tickets so we do not exceed our seating capacity for the Fellowship Hall.
I understand the building of a stage in the Fellowship represents change, and change of this size can cause fear of what may happen in the future. A quote from a book I like goes like this, “What you are afraid of is never as bad as what you imagine. The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exists,” (Who Moved My Cheese). The church council approved the building of the stage, and the stage was placed where it is to best serve
the purpose for future productions and performances to come based on expert, professional advice. About seating capacity, after measuring and removing items that were being stored in the Fellowship Hall, no amount of seating has been gained or lost, and the table holding the Bible and two candle sticks can be placed on the stage when the stage is not used for productions, thus freeing up that entire area where the table previously sat. I hope that helps to alleviate any concerns.
Looking forward, we will have a Shrove (Fat) Tuesday Pancake Supper the evening befofre Ash Wednesday sponsored by the Lutheran Men in Mission group. Look for more information in this newsletter. After our Ash Wednesday service we will have Soup Suppers with devotional worship to follow each Wednesday in Lent in the Fellowship Hall. As we move through Lent, we will journey together through the season as we reflect, fast and pray to prepare our celebration of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I will do my best to help make that happen and provide a meaningful and spiritually enriching season.
God’s blessings to you!
Pastor Rob Taylor
