“The Lord heals the broken-hearted,
and binds up their wounds.”
Psalm 147:3

Throughout our lives, we will all face both moments of wholeness and times of brokenness. We will have days with sunshine and downpours of rain. Today, we might wake up feeling so happy and full of life, that we can’t imagine things getting any better. That sunshine of today, however, isn’t always promised for tomorrow.

If we know anything for certain, it’s that things in life can change quickly. Our sense of happiness can give way to a sense of brokenness, and that feeling of brokenness is a deeply human experience. People lose jobs. Loved ones pass away. Families are torn apart. Natural disasters strike. It’s in those moments, as everything falls apart, when we look for something to hold onto. It’s in those moments, that we set out searching for hope for the future. In a way, that is what this season of Lent is all about. Lent is a time where we recognize the brokenness of life and when we yearn for the love of God that was demonstrated on the cross.

That’s why for our midweek services this year, we are going to explore this theme of brokenness more fully and read stories from Scripture that show people finding their way through some of life’s most difficult moments. Our theme will be titled, “Broken and Beloved: Stories of God’s Steadfast Love.” From Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, we will be acknowledging that brokenness is a normal experience, but so is finding hope in God’s love and grace. Here are some of the stories we will walk through:

• Ash Wednesday – David – Broken by Sin
• Naomi – Broken by Grief
• Elijah – Broken by Fear
• The Syrophoenician Woman – Broken by Desperation
• Mary Magdalene – Broken by Demons
• Peter – Broken by Failure

This theme and our liturgy for worship, comes to us from Rev. Dr. Char Rachuy Cox and the Nourishing Vocation with Children Project at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. We are blessed to have their permission to use these resources for this season and I hope that you will make plans to join us in worship. We will gather on Sundays at 9am for our regular worship service and on Wednesdays at 11am and 7pm for our mid-week services as we work together through this theme. See you there!

God’s peace be with you,
Pastor Heath