Our journey nears the end, an end that became the beginning of everything for those God knows as Kingdom People. It has been a journey we chose to take together; with our God, a journey made available to us by our God; a journey that began before creation saw the first ray of light, before humankind drew their first breath. It is a journey that will never end, blessed by the infinite power of God Love for all that God creates, especially God’s love for us.

Four weeks of the journey is now behind us. We can likely feel the weight, as well as the warmth, of walking together with our God, intent on making this walk in the unity of Love, the love we call Christ Jesus. But, sometimes walking, no matter how it makes us feel, starts to yearn for something more, a change of scenery, or a change of pace, or a change of routine. And yet, we know that God never seems to tire of us.

Step by step our journey together continues, as does the journey Jesus made through the wilderness of our need; the vast wilderness of human separation from God and one another. Along the way, we have prayerfully discovered exactly how far God has gone, and continues to go, in order to give us a Love that is undeniably strong, trustworthy, and true.

Sometimes, when we have spent deliberate time with someone, we suddenly discover that being in their company is something we count on happening. In a similar manner, committing ourselves to this Lenten journey has likely become something we look forward to doing together. Now, imagine God yearning, even straining, to be in our company simply because God has committed everything to giving us the path that leads to an eternity together.

Walking on this Lenten journey is a choice, a choice we make everyday. But, when we give it thought, it is God who has provided the journey for us. We can walk together because God has given us the path in the life of the Word made Flesh. Think about that. It is God’s great desire to gather up all of us, like "a hen gathers her brood." Isn’t it amazing to realize that we walk this journey together because we are so loved by God?

We begin our Lenten journey together having made the decision to spend time, deliberate time, with the One who first walked into the wilderness of the human experience in order to bring us into the Light of God’s Kingdom. Prayerfully, each step we take on this journey will lead us into a deeper relationship with God and with one another. Each week of this journey we will have the opportunity to read the thoughts of different members of our church family, as they share a part of their personal journey, a part of their relationship with the One who gives us everything.

Many have been asking when the church will have a pledge campaign for 2022. Many have wondered when this year’s giving envelopes are going to be ready for distribution. And, many are curious about how the church stands financially. Good questions. Now, what if I were to tell you that we are not having a pledge campaign in the traditional sense? What if I told you that giving envelopes will be made available to those who want them, but not yet? And, what if I were to tell you that our beloved church ended 2021 financially sound?