Hello, Friends!
      Ready or  not, here comes Lent!   Yesterday I was preaching for a worship service involving fellow clergy, encapsulating the beautiful, shiny, hopeful scriptures for the days after Christmas, in the Sundays after the Epiphany.
This Sunday we’ll get to experience with Jesus’ followers that luminous moment of his transfiguration, when all his holy brightness shone like the sun, too glorious to take in with the senses.
      Then there’s the precipitous descent down the mountain, and once again, to the Way of the Cross, Jesus’ last days on earth, ending with the unspeakable yet numinous offering of his heart’s essence in dying for Love’s sake.
      My hope for us is that we’ll let plenty of Epiphany light illumine our path, as we make a serious and spiritual journey with Jesus, and undertake a deep and real engagement of Lent.   The Light within and around us, that comes endlessly from the heart of God’s creative connectedness with us, can keep us rooted in hope, grounded in peace, oriented toward union with one another, and with God.  
     Thus as we go inward for times of introspection, confession, repentance, and renewed commitment to the essentials of faithful living, we’ll be buoyed, energized, sustained for the sometimes challenging work of growing toward our full holy human potentiality.
      What are the essentials?
Commitment to a spiritual path, honesty, humility, willingness to repent and change our ways, openness to giving and receiving forgiveness, trust in God.
     None of us does any of this perfectly, or in anything like a ladder-climbing linear progression toward spiritual perfection.
      But we are sensing a real, empowering presence of Spirit in our midst these days in the St. Luke community, and I have no doubt this coming season of our church family’s life will prove rewarding and heart-expanding, in all kinds of beautiful and unexpected ways.
     I do need to add my word of encouragement to that of our faithful treasurer, Anita.   We need everyone’s regular, proportional financial  contribution to the ministries of St. Luke in order to function optimally, and fulfill our commitment to serve others generously.
     I tithe (give ten percent of my monthly salary) to the church, because that’s the example set for me by my parents, and that’s the proportion of financial participation that is right and balanced for me.
     Please consider what’s right for you—and remember we need your prayer, presence, other gifts, and service, too!

Shalom,
Sarah