I hope that by now you have gotten into the groove of keeping Lent. This is now the second Sunday of Lent, and as you can see from the chart on the right, we are well into this season of fasting, abstinence, and almsgiving. This wonderful illustration is a reminder of how we built up into the season with the gesima Sundays, had our first week and a half Lent with Ash Wednesday and then last week we had 3 Ember Days where we prayed with special intention for those preparing for the ordained ministry. Now we are working our way to the meat of the season and heading toward Passiontide. The Christian Life is a journey toward heaven and this illustration helps us to envision it.
Below is a picture of our Votive Candle rack in the Church. We also have one in the Chapel.
Lighting a candle for a prayer intention is a wonderful way to make tangible, visibly, that intention.
And your offering placed in the slot is a small sacrifice as well a way to cover the costs of the candle itself.
But please, DO NOT PUT THE USED MATCH INTO THE VOTIVE CUPS!
As you see in the picture on the right, it causes the glass to break and is a fire hazard! Please use the ashtray provided.
Finally, the last Sunday in February is the anniversary of my first Sunday as the Rector of St. John’s Church. This marks the completion of my 23rd year as your pastor here. I am now the longest serving clergyman in their current position in the diocese, and third longest serving rector of St. John’s after I.C. Johnson (28 years) and Tom Frisby (25 years). I am humbled and honored, and pray that there will many more years ahead together.
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