The season of Lent begins with our observance of Ash Wednesday next week. Call me weird, but I love Lent. I’ve always been given to introspection and quiet reflection, and Lent just seems to give me permission to do what I already love to do.
Lent is a time of honest self-examination, an occasion to clear out the debris that is standing in the way of a deeper relationship with God. During Lent, we confess our foibles, ask ourselves what really matters in our lives, pray for God’s guidance, connect more deeply with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and try to live more intentionally and faithfully.
At our Adult Forum this Sunday, I will offer some reflections on how we can all “live into Lent” more fully. In addition to some practical suggestions, I will also invite you to read with me over the coming weeks one of the great Lutheran spiritual classics, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together. It is a short book (less than 100 pages), yet it is rich in theological insight and practical wisdom. In a nutshell, it is all about “Christian community,” and what it means to share a “life together” in Christ. It is a perfect lens through which we can think about and discuss the nature of our own community here at Holy Trinity.
Written in 1938 just before the outbreak of World War II, the book describes the small, underground seminary community that Bonhoeffer led in Finkenwalde. The book reads like one of St. Paul's letters, giving advice on how life together in Christ can be sustained in families and small groups. The role of personal prayer, worship in common, everyday work, and Christian service is treated in simple, almost biblical, words.
My suggestion is that we use our reading of Bonhoeffer’s book to frame a series of three adult forums we will hold over the coming weeks in Lent on the topics of: (1) community life, (2) worship, and (3) service. In these forums, I hope we will spend 10-15 minutes summarizing Bonhoeffer’s insights on these subjects, and then devote the remainder of our discussion to reflecting on how our Holy Trinity family lives into the values and practices he describes.
My hope is that these discussions will lead us to suggest new and creative ways in which we can further enhance our community connections, worshipping experience, and opportunities to serve each other and the community.
I hope you can join me in this journey. The schedule of sessions is listed below.
In Christ’s peace, Pastor Luther
February 11 – “Living in Lent: An Overview”
February 18 – Bonhoeffer’s Life Together, Session 1: “Community Life”
February 25 – Bonhoeffer’s Life Together, Session 2: “Worshipping Together”
March 3 – Bonhoeffer’s Life Together, Session 3: “Service”