Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday has been really cool this year! This morning we had prayer and worship and we watched a Nooma video (these are videos by a paster named Rob Bell from Michigan...I think.) Anyway. It was a great way to start the Lenten season. We had been meditating on some verses in Ephesians...4:17-5:2 since Monday as well. We made a goal to be ready by today with some thoughts on how we were going to approach this season of Lent. We were challenged to think of things we want to give up, things we want to continue, things we want to stop doing, or even things we want to add to our lives. It was really neat to hear what people felt called to do during this time and to be able to walk through this season with my community. After we did all of this we placed ashes on each other's forheads and had communion. It was a totally different type of service than I grew up with in the Catholic church but very cool! I am really excited that we are celebrating this Lenten season intentionally as a community so we will be prepared for Easter.

Tonight, I am actually taking a few of the other apprentices to the local Catholic church for their Ash Wednesday service. It's been fun to have others so excited about it attending it. I think some wish they could have a quick "lesson" on what to do. :) Maybe I will have to brief them on the way in the car! :)

I guess that's really been all that's gone on this week. It's been a pretty laid back week so far...thanksfully!! In the coming weeks we will be getting into our normal routines...except that we won't have our ministry commitments in place yet. We will still be visiting lots of different organizations/people around town and praying about where God would have us serve this year. I am looking forward to more of a routine but i can already tell that our time here will be busy! :)

Chat with y'all soon!

Much Love and Prayers,

manda