Dear Friends,

What provides meaning in your life?   As you examine the activities that take place on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, do you find time/make time to focus upon the things that bring meaning?

By the end of February, we will enter the season of Lent.  It seems that Lent offers us the opportunity to deeply consider what creates meaning in our lives. It offers the opportunity to examine once again the way our lifestyles reflect our priorities. Lent may be a season to move even a little bit closer to the recognition that God might have something to do with calling ourselves beloved and feeling ourselves beloved.  Lent may be a time when we open ourselves to change. It may be a time when we more purposefully enable others to call and know themselves as beloved. 

During Lent, I am going to take time to focus on an aspect of life and faith that shapes me, and I believe shapes many of us, the gift of community.  Through the first part of Lent, I am going to reflect upon the gift of community and the impact that it makes upon us as Christians.  My reflections will come from a renewed study of Deitrich Bonhoeffer, and his wonderful book, Life Together.  Bonhoeffer states: "The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer."    In a world that is often shaped by social media and the ability to become isolated, I hope we may reflect and rediscover the gift of living as Christians, together. 

As we prepare for our Lenten journeys, may we find ourselves drawing closer to the Christ and to each other.

Peace,