What is Lent?

Lent is a Christian season of self-examination lasting the 6 weeks leading up to Easter.  The season moves on the calendar from year to year based on the spring equinox, celebrating the increasingly longer days of the year.  As a reminder for Christians to look to God rather than physical things for their wholeness, some take on the practice of giving something up for Lent. Whenever they desire this thing that they have given up, they are reminded to pray for God to sustain them. Items commonly given up are certain foods or forms of entertainment.  It has also become popular to not only give something up but to add a practice during Lent, like going to church regularly or adding a daily prayer time.  

Who are we? 

​We're located at the corner of Juliette and Poyntz...right where we've been since a group of abolitionists founded our church in the 1850s. We are a group of open-minded, big-hearted Christ-followers who are committed to working for justice and loving all, just as Jesus has taught us to do. 

If you have questions about our congregation or the events happening this season, please feel free to contact us. ​​

Ash Wednesday
February 26

Ash Wednesday is a Christian tradition that prepares us for the Lenten season before Easter.  The reasons Christians receive ashes on the forehead are twofold: 1. As a call to grieve and repent from the ways they have become separated from God and Neighbor and 2. As a humble reminder of the dust from which we came and the dust to which we’ll return. To remind us of our life season’s cyclical nature, we use the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday to create the ashes. 

This year we are offering three options for observing Ash Wednesday:
Continual Prayer Day
Imposition of Ashes
Interactive Ash Wednesday Worship

Read about all of the options here

Lenten Adult Class

Sundays in March at 9:30 a.m.
Led by Lisa Tatonetti & Craig Weston

Many Americans grow up learning that this continent was “discovered” by Christopher Columbus. The concept of discovery, as if the land was empty prior to arrival and its indigenous inhabitants were somehow “less than” the explorers is, at its heart, racism and cultural superiority. Using resources prepared by the Council for American Indian Ministries (CAIM) and Justice and Witness Ministries (JWM) of the United Church of Christ, we will use stories from our sacred texts as an entry point for discussion about the legacies of colonialism and genocide. We will examine the role of the Church in causing violence and theological foundations for repentance and reconciliation. ​

Deepen Your Spiritual Practice this Lent

Lent is a great time to consider adding in just one small thing per week to your spiritual practice. Options include:

Sundays: volunteer at Second Helping
Mondays: Yoga at 5:15pm
Tuesdays: Midweek Book Study, 11:30am
Wednesdays: Ecumenical Lenten Lunches, Yoga at 5:15pm
Thursdays: Taize worship at 7:00pm

Note: no yoga on Feb. 26, March 2 and 4, April 6 and 8
​Need something more flexible for your schedule? Be sure to pick up a free copy of this year's Lenten Devotional from A Sanctified Art or request one from the office. Daily reflections, art, poetry and more are there to help guide your Lenten journey.