Just a few short days ago, hundreds of us came together, spanning two deeply moving services to mark the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Each year, as I journey through this season, I am profoundly moved by the palpable tension that defines our gathering: a poignant space between the acknowledgment of our mortality and the resilient thread of hope as we journey to the cross with Jesus.

On Wednesday, as I looked out over the faces in our congregation, I saw more than just the outward signs of ash; I saw the lived experiences of each of you. I saw warriors who have battled illness, seekers who have prayed for provision, and mourners who have said goodbye to pieces of their hearts. You, my dear friends, are intimately acquainted with life’s fragility and the raw edges of brokenness. Yet, it is not just a reminder of mortality that you need—this, you know all too well. What we all need, and what I pray we cling to during these 40 days, is the assurance that in every storm, God is steadfastly with us. His promises are sure: He is for us, and He will never forsake us.

As we embark on this Lenten journey, my heart’s prayer is that we would encounter the boundless grace, love, and mercy of God, not just in the extraordinary crescendos of life but in the quiet, ordinary moments that fill our days. This Sunday, we begin our new sermon series, “Ordinary Road,” a path that invites us to walk with Jesus to the cross.

Jesus’ ministry was marked by a journey along ordinary roads, where He shared a message that was anything but. He encountered ordinary people, yet the miracles He performed in their lives were nothing short of extraordinary. In the same way, our lives are filled with routines and tasks that may seem mundane, yet we are followers of an extraordinary God who delights in meeting us right where we are. 

In the washing of dishes, in the sending of emails, in the laughter and tears shared with loved ones—He is there, transforming the ordinary into a testament of His love and power.

My prayer for us as a church is that we would approach this Lenten season with open hearts, ready to see the fingerprints of God’s presence in every aspect of our lives. May we be attuned to the sacred in the every day, finding in our ordinary roads the extraordinary journey to the cross and beyond, to the resurrection that awaits us.

I love you more than I can express, Good Shepherd.

From my heart,

Pastor Tara Beth