Lent 2016, I began my call at Faith Lutheran Church. Fueled with coffee and riding on the excitement of the congregation to move forward, this was a memorable time!

Arriving in Lent was a blessing because Wednesday services brought people into the church frequently as I got to know you and we anticipated the arrival of Easter, together.

Lent is the 40 days (plus Sundays) before Easter in which the focus turns towards the journey of Christ to Jerusalem and the cross. For our church, this is remembered through Ash Wednesday services, midweek Lenten services, and the services of Holy Week that tell that story—the most important story of Christianity—that Jesus Christ died and conquered death out of love for us.

Why I love Lent so much is because of the community aspect of gathering and hearing the story together. Usually, this involves time spent in conversation around a meal after worship. Music plays an essential role in our worship in midweek and Sunday services to set the tone of the season.

In March of 2020, everything changed.

One day, we were gathering for our typical Lenten lunch when Joe Mazan from KSTP news showed up to ask what we thought about this Coronavirus that was spreading in other parts of the world. What were we doing to get ready? We had no idea how much of an impact this would have on every phase of our lives.

If only we had stories from scripture that could help us navigate this challenging time?! Stories about people in exile. Stories about frightened disciples waiting in a room when the risen Jesus appears.

We’ve leaned heavily on those stories of God’s people throughout time. We’ve taken precautions. We’ve loved our neighbors. We’ve offered worship and community through unique methods and we’ve remained connected.

Two years later, things are not quite back to “normal”… but I’d argue, things will never be the same.

Yet this is an exciting Lent. We are gathering again on Wednesdays at 11:30 for worship followed by lunch. We have a Wednesday night service to teach this story to the confirmation students (sorry, no dinner provided). We are grounded in our traditions and spiritual practices, while embracing new habits—we offer both of these services in person or via Livestream.

Thank you for your patience and care of each other through the pandemic. As we re-emerge, we gather faithfully in community with trusted brothers and sisters in Christ. Soon, we will celebrate that He is Risen… He is Risen, indeed. So are we.

Pastor John