Lent… remaining in the moment
Thanks to all of you who came out to our Emergent West Michigan gathering. We had a great turnout with lots of new and familiar faces!
Troy Hatfield led us through his “Why” and “How” thinking on Lent and how the Mars Hill Community will attempt to embark on this journey this season.
As for the “Why” I’ll refer you to the Reflection Paper he wrote. I always appreciate Troy’s thoughtful contemplation and I think he gives us some great things to chew on.
As for the “What,” Troy spent some time walking through some of the ways Mars Hill will follow Lent this year. Troy has put together a Lent Book that serves as a journey companion for those participating in Lent at Mars Hill. Many have been asking for copies of this piece. Rumor has it that Mars Hill may make it available as a .pdf to download. When I get more information, I’ll let you know.
The gathered group also had some insightful things to say. No one seemed to have a problem with the essence of Lent, but many raised the point that Lent, like any church tradition or discipline can turn into something that becomes rote, then quickly losing it’s meaning. Commitment to the church calendar and liturgy challenges us to keep it fresh without it becoming gimmicky.
The most important insight we discussed, in my mind, was the idea that Lent forces the believing community to live in the moment and not fast forward to a quick “Jesus fixes it” answer. In Lent, we are forced to live in the moment of repentance, waiting, wrestling, angst, longing, and faith.
As shepherds (as Christians) we are often so quick to give “the answer” that we miss living in the tension… a fusion of hope and fear; faith and doubt; trust and unbelief; steps forward and falling back; trusting and playing it safe. Maybe in this tension/fusion/journey… is where we find God and God refines us.
Lent takes us on the journey of remaining in the moment where we must stay still, move slowly, suspend quick answers and quick fixes and walk a slow, contemplative journey to the cross.
In this journey, the cross takes on deeper meaning. In this pilgrimage, resurrection is seen more clearly and affects us more deeply.
For me... I long (with hope and fear) for a memorable journey this season.
As for Lent resources, here are a few you may want to look into…
Books
Ancient-Future Time, Robert Webber
Eastertide, Phyllis Tickle
At the Cross: Meditations on People Who Were There, R. Bauckham and T. Hart
The Way of the Lord, NT Wright
The Rule of Saint Benedict, St. Benedict
Web
Lent Reading Schedule
Grace Lent Blog
posted by steve @ 3:30 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
I feel like I'm massively preaching to the choir here... but hey, that's blogging. Living in the tension is my life theme.. I call it 'the day inbetween'. We know the events of Good Friday... we know the events of Resurrection Morning. Saturday, however... how do you live on Holy Saturday? That's Lent.. that's life, I think. My husband and I have left American Evangelicalism land and have entered mainline liturgical world... he is studying for the Episcopal [or Anglican, depending on what happens next summer] priesthood at Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Wisconsin. This whole thing about Emergent, Postmodern, whatever you want to call it, is so encouraging to me... but I still with that the most thoughtful among us would find the neighborhood mainline congregation that might be longing for life, and take a risk and hop in -- be a part of the translation of the semantics, which seems to me to be the primary chasm between us. I don't know if I'm making sense... but for me, and for my family, the rhythm of the church year feels like HOME. Evangelicals run screaming from anything Catholic, don't they [we]? If the Church [capital intended] studied its heritage... well, the church calendar wouldn't be an optional add-on. I thank GOD for the journey on which He took me -- from a Lutheran kid, to a non-denominational worship leader, to a Pastoral position in the E Free denomination, to the chapel of St. Marys at the oldest institution for higher learning in Wisconsin... and oh boy, am I learning. I pray that we all live well on this day.. the day inbetween.
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