A Note From Fr. Will
While leading our Ash Wednesday services last week, I was struck by the end of the exhortation that calls in the name of the Church, ‘to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.’
These basic tasks of the Christian life, self-examination, prayer, and meditation on Scripture, are easy to lose track of in the hustle of our everyday lives. Lent, though, calls us back to these basics as practices and devotions we should pursue throughout the year. The call back to these basic practices is not arbitrary. We turn to them because they train us in our knowledge of God, our expectation of God in our lives, and our growth in holiness. Like many of the small, regular, and basic practices of our lives, though, we easily let them slip away.
My intention during Lent, and hopefully beyond, will be to set aside each Monday to pray, to read Scripture, and to prayerfully envision our future as a parish. Naming and blocking out space for these devotions are necessary if we are to give them a prominent place in our lives. I hope that you also will reflect on when in your week you might set aside some time to give to God in a special way. These times of personal devotion and worship allow us to see where God is calling us in faith and in mission in our own lives. Just as a basketball player needs to keep shooting free throws each day to maintain their ability, so we need to continually give time to these basic practices as we look to maintain our faith in the days, months, and years ahead. My prayer is that these practices will not be another burden but a way into the joy of the Christian life and a time of refreshment.
–Fr. Will
Easter Flowers
Orders for Easter Flowers are now open and can be done online at christchurchchattanooga.org/giving/ or by mailing a check with a note with the dedications on it.
Due to supply chain issues, we do ask that your orders be in by March 13th.
Outreach News
We Need Groceries
Thank you kindly for your donations last month to CNP Haiti. Together we raised $400 and matched that with money from Outreach. Our gift will cover the cost of enough Plumpy’nut to bring about a dozen children back from severe malnutrition to a normal weight.
We are still focused on feeding the hungry, now much closer to home. Rebecca Smith is working on a walk-up, outdoor food pantry for Christ Church. We hope to have enough groceries to fill it up as soon as she gets it mounted on the wall. We need food in pop-top cans – soup, stew, tuna, fruit – nutritious food that needs no tools to open. We can also use wrapped plastic cutlery from take-out for eating on-the-go.
At the same time, we’ve received a call for help from MetMin. They helped 131 people in January; by February that number had nearly tripled (332). MetMin needs reusable bags for carrying food, as well as canned soup, canned fruit, and small bags of dry dog food for pets.
Please bring a few of these items with you whenever you come to church. If you aren’t coming in person but still want to help, you can donate to Outreach and mark your gift for Groceries.