Lent at The Well

One of my favorite images in all of scripture involves a homecoming. A certain young man was sure that the grass was greener on the other side and that life had more to offer than the safety and shelter of home. After leaving in search of something better, the prodigal son returns to the people and place he called home. The scene of his homecoming is one of great joy. He is welcomed with a generous embrace and a party in his honor (Luke 15:11-32).I really believe there is a prodigal in each of us. We wander, forget, become distracted, and lose our way. We leave that which nourishes us and gives us life. We try to make it on our own. We even become disoriented at times. We may want to go back, but there can seem like too much stands in our way. Where is home anyway?Returning home is not easy.Lent, our 40-day journey toward resurrection Sunday, is a season of self-examination and reflection. It is also an invitation for us to return home. When I think of home, I do not just think of a physical place. Home is also a spiritual place where we are free to be who God created us to be. For God’s people, the Israelites (who were also prone to wander!), home was a place of reliance on their covenant relationship with Yahweh. That relationship was the core of their identity and shaped who they were as individuals and as a community. It sent them out and brought them back home.For many of us, life circumstances, changing theologies (beliefs about God), unfortunate church experiences, seasons of transition, and our own rebellion have displaced us. While we are called to a journey of faith, there are times when we need to step back, remember the story that sustains us, and reflect on the ways we have lost our way. Then, we can more fully celebrate God’s grace that always welcomes each of us home.Lent at The Well will unfold in worship gatherings, weekly 3D (dinner, discussion, discovery) groups, and other opportunities for reflection and renewal. On Ash Wednesday, March 5, at 6 p.m., we will come together to begin our Lenten journey together. During Sunday worship gatherings, we will return to the beginning of God’s story (Genesis) and re-visit the journey of promise that forms the basis of our identity. In 3D groups, we will use Animate Faith to return “home” to a better understanding of our most basic beliefs and practices.I hope you will join us in this season of journey together. It promises to shape us in a significant way.Peace & love,Susan