Ash Wednesday (2/14/2024): Noon Worship Service with Imposition of Ashes, Salem UMC Sanctuary (Pastor Becky leading); 6:30 PM Worship Service with Imposition of Ashes at Westwood UMC Sanctuary (Pastor Clay Parker leading)
Sundays in Lent: 10 AM worship in Salem's sanctuary. Sermon messages will follow the scripture passages that align with the biblical character narrations drawn from Encounters on the Road to the Cross by Robert Martin Walker.
-Week 1 (2.18): The Rich Young Man (Mark 10:17-22)
-Week 2 (2.25): The Woman Caught in Adultery (John 7:53-8:11)
-Week 3 (3.3): The Woman at the Well (John 4:4-42)
-Week 4 (3.10): The Mother of James and John (Matthew 4:21-22; 20:20-28; 27:55-56)
-Week 5 (3.17): Caiaphas the High Priest (Matthew 26:57-68; also touching on 27:3-31, 62-66, and 28:11-15)
-Week 6 (3.24): Palms & Passion - Simon of Cyrene (Mark 15:21-41) - from celebration to condemnation - a man caught in the middle
Lent Bible Study: Mondays at 6:00 PM and Tuesdays at 11:00 AM, beginning February 19 & 20 and ending March 18 & 19, in Salem's Adult Sunday School Classroom in the Education Building. I'm calling the study "Meditations on the Way to the Cross," as we will be discussing each Sunday's gospel story (drawn from Robert Martin Walker's Encounters on the Way to the Cross) alongside of ideas and reflections from Kate Bowler's Have a Beautiful, Terrible Lent! No preparation work is needed (at least for the 1st session); each week's session will, however, include an option "Digging Deeper" activity.
Holy Week:
-Palm Sunday (3.24.2024): 10 AM worship in Salem's sanctuary, celebration with palms that dissolves into the passion
-Maundy (Holy) Thursday: 6:00 PM in Salem Hall: light supper then worship with Holy Communion
-Good Friday Tenebrae Worship: 6:30 PM in Salem's sanctuary, service of scripture, music, candlelight, and reflection
-Holy Saturday: no activity on church campus; a day of solemnity and sorrow
-Easter Sunday: Sunrise Service at St. Luke UMC with breakfast following (details to come); 10 AM Easter Worship in Salem's Sanctuary + Covering the Cross with Flowers