Starting with Ash Wednesday (on February 18), we left the season of Epiphany and entered the season of Lent. If you start with the Saturday before Easter and count backwards 40 days (not including Sundays), you’ll land on Ash Wednesday.
Lent is the 40 day (less Sundays) period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. It’s a time for introspection and repentance. A time to look at our sin, God’s holiness, and to appreciate the value of Jesus’ death on the cross.
During the season of Lent, we will have many opportunities at PUMC designed to help us prepare for Easter Sunday.
You can’t experience Easter without first going through Good Friday
Lenten Sermon Series
During the Sundays leading to Easter, Pastor Jim will preach a series of sermons focused on the Seven Last Words of Christ. If you miss any of these messages, check out the Sermon Archive on this site to listen to them. Here’s the schedule:
- February 22: “Father Forgive Them”
- March 1: “Today You Will be with Me in Paradise”
- March 8: “A Family Affair” (Behold your son)
- March 15: “My God, My God Why Have You Forsaken Me?”
- “March 22: “I Am Thirsty”
- “It is Finished”
- “Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit”
Lenten Devotional
We have put together a daily devotional booklet which can be be followed during the days of Lent to help you prepare for Easter. Click Here to learn more about the devotional.
Not Ready for Prime Time Singers
Saturday March 7 & March 21
Part of preparing for Easter is to reach outside of yourself in service and love. Before Easter this year, we will have two opportunities to do that by visiting and singing with our seniors (shut-ins and nursing home residents). For more information about our Not Ready for Prime Time ministry, Click Here.
United Methodist Men’s Retreat
March 13-15
Our UM Men’s group will hold their annual retreat in Lancaster County PA. This year’s theme will be “A Praying Life,” and it will give us a time of reflection and preparation for Easter Sunday. For more information about the retreat, Click Here.
To see a report about the retreat, Click Here.
Holy Week
When we reach Holy Week (the week between Palm Sunday and Easter), we will be offering a series of events designed to give us the opportunity to prepare for Easter Sunday. Open the following tabs to learn more about each event…
What is Lent?
The Lenten Season begins with Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter. To learn more about Lent, watch the following “Chuck Knows Church” video…
When is Easter?
Figuring out when to celebrate Christmas is no problem; it’s always on December 25 (even though we all know that that’s not when Jesus was born). Independence Day- the Fourth of July- that’s always on July 4. But Easter? What’s the date for Easter?
Easter’s date changes from year to year. It’s always on a Sunday, but the exact date depends on the stages of the moon. Christ’s passion and resurrection occurred during the Jewish passover, so that gives us some firm information about when Easter occurred. In the year 325, the Council of Nicaea decided that Easter should be celebrated on the “first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox.” The Vernal Equinox is more easily known as the first day of Spring. At some point they were concerned that Easter would occur during Passover, so they later modified this so that Easter was delayed one week if that first full moon happened to occur on a Sunday (so Easter will never occur on a full moon).
Confused? Join the crowd! For more information, Click Here.
Quiz Time!
After watching that video and reading up on Lent, how much do you know about this special season? Try the quiz below…
