When we choose to love, God’s blessings abound

Aloha! We are now coming to the end of Epiphany, the season of light, and we’re preparing for the prayerful, penitential season of Lent. It’s a momentous time in the rhythm of the church year as we begin to make our way to Holy Week and Easter, the
resurrection of the Lord.

At St. Timothy’s, we’ll offer a variety of ways to worship, learn, and serve during Lent. On Ash Wednesday, March 5, we’ll have two services, at 12 noon and 6 p.m., to impose ashes and celebrate the Eucharist. Then on Wednesday evenings from March 12 through April 9, we’ll have a “Soup & Study” gathering starting around 6 p.m. We’ll fellowship over a simple meal and have a conversation about the five “Will you” questions in the baptismal covenant using a study guide. We’ll close our time together with the service of Compline.

During our Sunday morning worship services in Lent, we’ll use the purple altar hangings and vestments to help keep us in a sober frame of mind and spirit, and our liturgy will be a bit different to reflect the season. In this time of preparation, we’re encouraged to “give something up” or “take something on” to help us focus on our need for confession and God’s cleansing. Please prayerfully consider how you will spend these 40 days of Lent, perhaps using a Lenten devotional book or committing to attend church every Sunday. I hope you will avail yourself of as many opportunities to gather at St. Tim’s as you can.

Last Sunday in worship, we considered Jesus’ “Sermon on the Plain” from Luke 6:27-38, his counter-cultural and very timely message to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, pray for those who abuse us… in other words, to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Jesus calls us to “take love to the limit—and there is no limit!” As the story of my friend’s dog, Jack, reminds us, love is a choice! When we choose to love, God’s blessings abound.

This Sunday, March 2, the final Sunday in Epiphany, we’ll focus on the Transfiguration of Jesus, and the “sneak preview” it provides of the glory to come in our heavenly home. We’ll also have our first ever “Shrove Sunday” pancake brunch during our fellowship time. Please plan to join us in the celebration.

Our heartfelt thanks go to our Altar Guild, led by Jane Murakami and Sylvia Eschbach, who with the help of several other members completely cleaned, painted, and reorganized our Sacristy. Thank you so much for your devoted service!

Dear sisters and brothers, you are in my prayers, and I ask for your prayers for St.
Timothy’s Church, for our dedicated staff and our devoted lay leaders, and for your vicar. May God bless you and your loved ones in this holy season. 

Aloha Ke Akua!
Fr. Pete+