Dear Hot Metallers,

Welcome to the season of Lent! Thank you to all who celebrated Ash Wednesday with us, either at Big Dog or in worship, or wherever you found yourself that day. I am always blown away by how God moves on Ash Wednesday to break down our barriers and connect us to people we never would have thought to connect to otherwise. I pray it was a good start to this special season.

I mentioned in worship last week, that Lent can be a time when we intentionally look for God in new ways. For some, that means giving up things that can be a distraction (like Facebook or sweets). Others find that taking on a new discipline or prayer practice helps them focus on God in a different way. However you are marking the season, I hope you have an experience of a “God Sighting,” a time when God shows up unexpectedly, and might be willing to share that story with the community during these 40 days.

Our Gospel stories will mirror our search for God Sightings by telling the stories of Jesus encountering people in new and unexpected ways. We begin where Lent always begins, in the wilderness with the Devil attempting to tempt Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus is surprisingly patient with the Devil, and yet never wavers in his commitment to who God is and what God has called him to do. What does this story have to tell us about who God is? What does it tell us about who we are? Where does God show up for us, even if all we can see is temptation?

If you feel like you’re in the wilderness, come and join us. If you have found your way out, come join us (and tell me your secret!). We’ll gather together and show God to one another in community and communion.

Have a Blessed Lent,

Pastor Erin