Prayer, Almsgiving, and Fasting on Ash Wednesday and Beyond

Today we start the season of Lent, a time of emphasis on spiritual practices.  The Great Commandment can be an excellent guide to the spiritual practices of Lent: "You shall love the Lord your God with your heart, mind, and soul and your neighbor as yourself."

We are to love God.  Prayer helps define our relationship to God.

We are to love our neighbor.  The giving of alms and other support to the poor shows our love for our neighbor.

We are to love ourselves.  Fasting is an excellent discipline to help us get more in touch with ourselves.

During this Lenten season, I encourage you to pay attention to your spiritual disciplines.

CVS Comments Describe Neighborhood

Today when I visited the local CVS Pharmacy, I noted seven customer comments posted by the pharmacy. Three were written in Spanish and four in English.  Obviously CVS aims its marketing to this community. What might we learn as a congregation trying to reach this neighborhood?

Second School Workshop

We held our second school workshop today and now is the time for all of us at MacArthur Park Lutheran Church to come together and help the school.  With Pastor Tracey leaving us, volunteers will be needed in a variety of congregational ministries.  I hope all of us will help with the immediate need of marketing the school.  Be watching for later developments regarding the school.

A Belated Apology

I recently received an apology from a church leader who said he had been too harsh with me in public several months earlier.  I then reflected on how hard it is to apologize and I wonder how many others who may have hurt me felt bad about it later but never said anything to me.  How many times have I been unfair to others but tried to ignore it instead of admitting my error?

Have you had a similar experience?

Arab Spring Turning Sour for Middle East Christians

A year ago, the world was hopeful as Middle Easterners were throwing out dictators and promising democratic reforms.  Today, the picture is less hopeful, especially for area Christians.  The new governments have sometimes been intolerant to people of other faiths and Christians are now facing some of this violence.  Please remember your Christian sisters and brothers in that part of the world in your prayers.  May the Arab Spring bring more hope than fear.