by Pastor Craig Shirley
“Living the Lord’s Prayer” is the theme for Lent this year. “Lent?” you say? Yes, it begins on Ash Wednesday, February 17. And Easter is Sunday, April 4. This title, “Living the Lord’s Prayer,” is meant to have a number of meanings. We intend to work our way through the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer, examining one each week through study, prayer, worship, and preaching. And we would like to find ways to live our lives “into” that prayer through study. For our study we will use the book Lenten Journey, which is part of the Book of Faith series. That study will be held on Wednesday evening, beginning February 24. You are invited to come for soup (beginning at 5:30pm), attend the study, and then worship together in the Sanctuary at 7:00pm. You can also come just for the study, just for worship, or just for soup!
For those who would prefer not to go out at night or who find a noon service more convenient, we will continue to have our half-hour worship service in the Chapel at noon each Wednesday, with soup to follow.
Ash Wednesday services (February 17) will be at 12:00 noon and 7:00pm in the Sanctuary. There is no soup and no study on that day—simply worship, with both the imposition of ashes and Holy Communion.
I am also excited to announce that we have filled two important staff positions. Scott Rohr began his duties as Minister of Worship and Music during the last week in January. What a way to begin—with the ordination of Diane Greve! An exciting Sunday indeed!
And our new Church Administrator is Gayle Bidne. Gayle is actually “coming home” to University Lutheran Church of Hope, because she attended here as a child. Gayle, also, began her work here during the last week of January. Welcome to both Scott and Gayle! I am looking forward to working with them, and I invite you to take time to meet them and tell them about yourself.
Finally, the year 2009 the congregation did not end financially in the “black” but rather in the “red”—meaning that we fell about $7,000 short of our goal. We anticipate that 2010 will be a tight year, and we ask that you would be faithful in your giving and generous in your pledging. We are at full staff now, and staff is the largest percentage of our budget. Our staff works incredibly hard on behalf of Christ’s work in this place, and your support in every way is always appreciated, including your giving, your volunteering, and your notes of appreciation.
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