Pastor’s eNote: Beginning of Lent

I bid all of you a blessed at Ash Wednesday and a happy Valentine’s Day.

Today marks the beginning of our 40-day journey to Easter. We count these 40 days as every day between Ash Wednesday and the Saturday before Easter excluding Sundays. The number 40 is an important number in the Bible. The wilderness experience after the Exodus was 40 years. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for 40 days. 40 symbolizes a time of testing, introspection, and discernment.

During our 40 days at FFMC, we will be focusing on prayer, fasting, repentance, and spiritual practices. Our worship series during Lent is called “Practice Makes Possible.” This series will explore how the “means of grace” given to us by Jesus himself open new possibilities for our life in Christ.

A key part of our journey is our Lenten Devotional Guide.This daily guide will help us focus our time for prayer each day. We hope this guide, along with many other resources, will provide you with the resources to draw near to the Lord. Please read the opening pages of the devotional guide carefully, as they outline our Unifying Prayer at 12:24 p.m. each day, our partnership with praySeattle, and our call to fasting.

You can download this year’s devotional guide at www.ffmc.org/lent24

You can also access the guide using the FFMC app or by visiting our website at ffmc.org/lent24. We will have a limited number of printed guides available in the sanctuary foyer and the church office.

We hope your 40 day journey with Jesus will draw you close to Him, his church, and the world he deeply loves. It is a joy to share this journey with you.

Grace to You All,

Pastor Craig Brown

(February 14, 2024)