The Season of Lent is upon us, beginning on February 14th which is Ash Wednesday, and concluding on March 30th as we celebrate Easter on March 31st. During Lent, we examine and reflect on our lives as our journey takes us through a wilderness time recalling Jesus’ final days and his ultimate sacrifice. It is a time for quiet reflection, listening, and spiritual practices that bring us closer to God. One of the spiritual practices we can do is to read scripture. As we begin Lent, I invite you to participate in our Lenten Study of the Gospel of Mark, either individually or with a group. I hope that our reading will help us to examine our own lives, stimulate conversation, grow closer to God, and fill us with gratitude for the Good News of Jesus Christ. I invite you to read the daily readings slowly, and take in the words and the lessons they teach us. You may want to journal your thoughts, write down any questions you have, pray and ask God to help you understand the message the scripture has. If you get behind in your reading, just catch up when you can or pick back up in the reading on the day you begin again. This is not legalistic but a spiritual practice designed to help us read and meditate on the Word of God. Each week there are questions you can answer on your own or with a group, based on our daily reading plan. On Sundays there are also questions based on the sermon scripture for that day. I hope this study will bless your experience of Lent this year and may it help us all to grow spiritually as we travel through the wilderness.

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Kim Harvey

Director of Congregational Care & Spiritual Formation

Mount Tabor UMC

kim.harvey@mttaborumc.org