Pinnacle

Lent is Coming

The season of Lent is the forty days preceding Easter. The church established this time for spiritual preparation for the celebration of the resurrection- the pinnacle of the Christian year. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday- a time of reflection on our mortality. The following 40 days (excluding Sundays- because Sundays are always a celebration of the resurrection) have historically been marked by penitence, by giving something up and focusing on our need for redemption. 

This Lent, rather than giving something up, I encourage you to try something new. While our faith can (and should) at times focus on our lack, faith can also lead us into new practices to develop and deepen our spirituality. This Lent, I will be writing weekly devotionals (separate from Pinnacle articles) that will identify and introduce historic Christian spiritual practices. Each week, I will focus on a different practice, giving us a spiritual toolbox, so to speak. I encourage us all to put into practice a new spiritual discipline as a way to discover the depth of this penitential season.

My hope is that we allow ourselves to feel the rhythm of the Christian calendar, to allow Ash Wednesday to remind us of our shortcomings, to allow Lent to shine a light into those darker places in our souls, to allow the rejoicing of Palm Sunday to turn sour in the somber meal of Maundy Thursday and then the darkness of Good Friday. And then may our hearts rejoice in the wonder and glory of Easter Morning when our “Alleluias” carry the heartfelt exuberance that comes after our long journey to the cross.

Lenten, Holy Week and Easter Services:
Ash Wednesday Service | February 22, 6:45 PM
Palm Sunday Morning Worship | April 2, 11:00 AM
Maundy Thursday Service | April 6, 6:45 PM
Good Friday Service | April 7, 12:00 PM
Easter Sunday Morning Worship | April 9, 11:00 AM
Easter Egg Hunt | April 9, 12:00 PM

Creativity Guided by Questions

Inquiring Communications

To inquire means to be curious and ask questions. Because we live in the Bible belt, it is easy to presuppose people’s knowledge about Christianity and skip sharing the meanings behind our traditions. However, what is assumed is often the most important. That is why before starting a project, I always ask myself what, who, and why.

Recently we redesigned the order of worship. Below is an example of how the answers to these simple questions informed the design.

• What is the purpose?
• Instructional guide for participants to enhance their worship of God.
• Who is this for?
• Everyone, with a particular focus on the newcomer and visitors.
• Why is this important?
• Worship is central to our corporate and personal relationship with God.

Effective communication is intentional, and you can’t be intentional without first asking a few questions!

Amelia Simmons | 

Addressing Hunger with Jesus 

I learned about food insecurity in Canada.   

L’eglise Chretienne le Roche is a small French Canadian Baptist church on the south shore of Montreal- a town called Chateauguay.  This small church has a big heart and a desire to serve their neighbors in a place that holds a pretty negative view of religion.  Chateauguay’s issue is not the poverty of homelessness, but the food insecurity experienced by the working poor.  This is the decision between rent and groceries or between clothing and food.   
 
This church, led by Pastor Daniel Cimon, decided to put together food boxes for their neighbors.  They established relationships with local farmers willing to make donations and connected with the local food bank.  Every week Daniel Cimon and a band of volunteers from the church would assemble boxes of food (likely costing $200 or more from the store) and invite neighbors to come and share in the abundance (for a small fee of $15).  Every Thursday for over 5 years this church has been providing about 120 food boxes to families experiencing food insecurity. 
 
I spent a week with this church every year for 8 years gathering produce from farmers, assembling the boxes and helping neighbors transport their food home.  It always reminded me of the stories in the Gospels about Jesus feeding the 5000 with meager means.   
 
Addressing hunger has always been a cornerstone of the gospel.