By Rev. Joe Zarro, Interim Senior Minister
It is a season of fasting right now – not only did Lent begin yesterday with Ash Wednesday, it’s also the beginning of Ramadan when more than 1 billion Muslims observe the yearly fast (based on a lunar calendar). Traditionally, folks give up “sweets and meats” for Lent, but in both Catholic and Protestant churches the traditions have been changing through the centuries. These days it’s common to pick something to “give up” and/or something to “take up.”
Personally, I like to do both – I pick something common enough to be a daily reminder of my commitment, and something enjoyable or treasured enough to be “sacrificial.” Some years it’s alcohol, some years it’s social media. This year is going back to some of my teenage habits that have stayed with me – soda and video games. I also like to take up things I see as a spiritual practice, whether it’s devotional reading or time outside. This year it is music – practicing it daily.
I hope you have thought about Lenten commitments yourself, and it’s still early enough in the season to pick something now, even if it’s something you’ve done since Lent. The idea is to pick something that is both a reminder and a small sacrifice, or something that helps you grow spiritually.
One opportunity at BCCUCC is our Lenten Book Group that will continue exploring devotionals by Diana Bass Butler in her book “A Beautiful Year.” We’ll be meeting Thursdays at 7 p.m. beginning Feb. 26 and ending March 26 at this link. The book is a resource for devotional reading during Lent, and the weekly gathering is a chance to enrich your Lenten journey with discussion and connection with others in the church. I already have a small group registered for this, and we would love for others to join us.
Please let me know if you would like attend, and whether or not you observe Lent, I hope this is a season that deepens your faith. The two largest religions in the world are in an intentional season of reflection and spiritual purification – something that doesn’t always happen (Ramadan and Lent are on lunar and solar calendars respectively and rarely line up like this). May it be a season of strengthened faith for you as well.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Joe
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“A Beautiful Year” Lenten Book Group (Online)
2026 is off to a rough start, but we have observing a new liturgical year since, Nov. 30, the first Sunday of Advent. And the liturgical year tells a beautiful story, and we are about to head into one of its most distinctive seasons: Lent. Lent is the 46 days leading up to Easter – if you don’t count Sundays, it is 40 days mirroring the 40 days Jesus was tried in the desert.
It is a time of fasting, reflection and devotion. I would like to encourage you to join us for a weekly devotional book group based on Diana Bass Butler’s “A Beautiful Year,” her new book
which is reflections on the liturgical seasons. We had a great Advent group with the same book, and now we will read from Lent. However, each “season” is self-contained and it will be easy to jump in with us.
We will gather via Zoom from 7-8 p.m. on the following Thursdays: Feb. 26, March 5, March 12. March 19 and March 26. April 2 is Maundy Thursday and we encourage you to attend the Tenebrae service. On Feb. 26 we will discuss the Lenten Introduction, the Ash Wednesday readings, and any Lenten commitments we may have made. Please RSVP to Joe@bccucc.org. We will also be inviting others from UCC churches such as Newman Church UCC, who joined us last time. If needed, we can use breakout rooms to ensure quality discussion. We have 2 more copies of the book in the church office or you can buy them online or from book stores. If you RSVP you will receive a link to our meetings and a weekly recap/reminder.
*Blog photo by Brett Sayles: https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-of-cross-1343325/