Stronger Together

The last four Wednesdays, I stepped away from my normal routine and went to church at noon. It wasn’t going to church that was outside my routine. I have attended church all my life. I am in church on Wednesdays, but at 6 p.m. for choir practice. This time, I was in church to attend the first four Ecumenical Lenten services, planned and led by local clergy.

The Christian season of Lent is made up of the six weeks before Easter. Some Christian denominations are not oriented to a liturgical calendar and do not celebrate Lent. Often, it is thought of as a time to give up something, like chocolate. More recently, people have added something to their routine instead of giving up something. Some people add acts of service. Others pray more frequently. I decided to add going to the weekly Lent worship services.

The worship services were planned on the theme “Wild Bright Hope,” which is the title of a book by Justin Welby. The book is part of the program “The Big Church Read” and was written for use in churches for Lent 2025. It encourages churches to read the same book at the same time either as individual members, small groups or whole congregations. The theme of hope is explored in different chapters on unity, peace, hope in politics, and hope in suffering. Everyone needs hope to face the numerous challenges present today, personally and in our society at large. The book approaches the topic of hope from a variety of perspectives and the reflections come from a variety of voices.

Here is a list of the services that were offered in our community, with one more to go this coming Wednesday, April 9, at Trinity United Methodist Church on the corner of Eighth and Ash Streets.

Here are a few of my impressions.

• The services were very well attended. I made the mistake of waiting too late to leave for the first one and had a difficult time parking. I didn’t make that mistake again. The practice of offering noontime Lent services has waned in other areas where I’ve lived. It was heartening to see people making time in their day to participate.
• I was greeted warmly at the door each time. The churches were ready to provide hospitality. We have some beautiful historic church buildings, each with its own aesthetic.
• There was a murmur of anticipation as the participating clergy processed together, dressed in their Lenten purple. The group was clearly waiting for a word of hope from their community’s spiritual leadership.

Here are the participating clergy.

Rev. Dawn Mays, Rev. Tiffany Gulama, Rev. Rachel McElwee, Rev. Dr.Mark Charles, Fr. Eric Stelzer, Rev. Granardo Felix, Rev. Doug Hodsdon, Rev Julie Higbee and Rev. Ben Mandrick.

• If the preachers asked for an “Amen!” they got a resounding one, even if speaking out in church wasn’t their usual habit.

The current group's convener is Rev. Dawn Mays, lead pastor at First Presbyterian Church.

These Lenten services are not the first collaboration among the churches, but they are a highlight.

Recently, she said,

We have an exceptional group of clergy who enjoy each other’s company. There is no sense of competition among the churches. All of us have heard positive comments about how much our congregants appreciate the ecumenical spirit that is shared. When we come together, we are witness to the unity we have in God’s love. We are stronger together.

I am encouraged by the cooperation among the churches that host these services and the mutual respect the cooperating clergy have for each other. It is a contagious spirit. I am gratified by the growing number of women serving in leadership roles. Did every local church participate? No, but they would be welcome. Some cannot participate because they don’t have leadership that is available to participate. There is always more room in the beloved community. St. Michael’s Church participated for the first time this season. Dr. Mark Charles noted that for a clergyperson from Northern Ireland who lived through “The Troubles,” sharing worship with a Roman Catholic brother was not something he imagined he would ever have the opportunity to do. This is the work of the spirit that calls us out of our boxes of preconceived ideology to the wider vision that we are stronger together.