Wednesday, March 2 is the first day of Lent - a 40-day period leading up to Easter. During this time, many choose to give something up or do something extra. This year, Pastor Tom is challenging you to join us in doing both.
The Challenge
Every day, find one item in your home that you don't need and put it in a bag or a box. As you do this, take a few minutes to reflect and count your blessings. When Lent is over, donate the bag or box to your local Salvation Army Store, Goodwill, or charity of your choice and feel good knowing that your unwanted items will help fund life-changing programs that serve those in need.
If you do not have items to donate, place a non-perishable food item in the box each day and donate it to the Dayton Food Bank or a food pantry.
As we clear our closets, we can clear our minds. As we declutter we can think of those less fortunate. And be grateful for our blessings.
The Purpose of Lent
Lent is a season of reflection and preparation that many Christians observe before the celebration of Jesus Christ's resurrection from death on Easter Sunday. It begins on Ash Wednesday - March 2 - and continues each day, excluding Sundays, through Easter Sunday - April 17. Lent, and the Easter season in general, come during a time of rebirth in nature that reminds us of the opportunity for rebirth in our own lives. This rebirth is possible because of the sacrifice made by Christ when he came to Earth to live, serve, and then die upon a cross, paying the penalty for our sin. Through Christ's death and resurrection, He made a way for our sins to be forgiven - all we have to do is ask. He extends grace, truth and love to each one of us, so that we can be made new in Him (read 2 Corinthians 5:17-19). Those who observe Lent by sacrificially giving something up or doing something for others are remembering the great sacrifice Christ made in giving up His life for our own.
If you have questions about Lent or Easter, who Jesus is, and what this means for your own life, we invite you to come to Dorothy Lane Church on Sunday morning to learn more.