Hello –
The practices of the Christian season on Lent often focus inwards. Examples include giving up chocolate like Joan, or cutting way back on the amount of news you consume, like me.
This year, I’m encouraging us all to also focus outwards. The reason for this is that COVID and the increase of electronic devices have left us and our neighbors more isolated than we were even five years ago. This Lent, to fight the isolation, I invite us to Only Connect.
There are now five ways to Only Connect.
1. Chloe’s Communities. The first of Chloe’s community events is 3pmthis Saturday in Duncan Hall. It is a celebration of Love with silly love songs to sing and an opportunity to share stories. Chloe has already collected the emails of over 80 people, most not from St. Paul’s. Come and connect with some new faces.
2. D Groups. Discipleship Groups are the heart of St. Paul’s. For 22 of us, these groups are a weekly source of support and spiritual depth. Learn more by joining me this Sunday at 11:20am for Basic Discipleship. We’ll meet in my office.
3. St. Paul’s Calls. Three pairs of people from St. Paul’s have already found each other to commit to a weekly call through Lent just to, as the old phone commercial had it, “reach out and touch someone, reach out and just say high.” Sometimes a friendly sympathetic voice is all we need to put a little spring in our step.
4. Bring-A-Friend Sunday will be March 10th. Because many of the rest of us will be inviting neighbors, family, friends and parishioners we haven’t seen in a while on this Sunday, it’s just that much easier to take that step of inviting a friend to St. Paul’s on this Sunday.
5. Transcending Contempt Partners. This is for anyone who participated in any way in my seminar. We meet at 9am this Saturday in Duncan Hall or on Zoom. I will share three Lenten practices based on the teachings of the seminar and then we will each be invited to follow the practices alone, with a partner or with a small group. Another email blast will follow shortly for those interested in more detail.
May you have a holy and blessed Lent.
Blessings, Christopher
p: (415) 456-4842
c.h.mrtn@gmail.com