Weekly Up date Pastor John

 Dear Asbury Family,

This Sunday, we enter the season of Lent as we prepare to celebrate Easter. Lent is a meaningful time to return to the spiritual disciplines we have been exploring over the past six weeks in worship.

In the past, you may have fasted from something you enjoy as a way of practicing dependence on God and learning what it means to go without. That can certainly be meaningful. However, I believe it can be even more transformative to evaluate the things in our lives that are unhealthy or not life-giving and intentionally begin to strip those away so we can be more present in our relationship with God and with others. Lent is a season that invites us to take inventory of the things that clutter our lives and keep us from experiencing the abundant life we are offered in Christ. Throughout Lent, our worship series will be called “Simplify: Decluttered Disciples.” Our goal is to examine the spiritual, emotional, and physical clutter that holds us back and invite God to help us let it go. 

As part of this series, we will also turn our attention to our church campus for some spring cleaning and decluttering. Each room, each closet, and each space presents an opportunity to ensure that everything we have is helping people know the love of Jesus and pass it on.

As those called to be good stewards, we will take inventory of what we have here at the church and ask whether it still serves our mission, or whether it is something we can release so we can focus more clearly on why we are here.

Shalom,

Pastor John