Dear Rose Park,
The Worship Sourcebook describes the season of Lent using these words: as a period of preparation, Lent has historically included the instruction of persons for baptism and profession of faith; the calling back of those who have become estranged from the church; and efforts by all Christians to deepen their piety, devotion, and readiness to mark the death and resurrection of their Savior.
Lent is a time of preparation, not just for those who are new to the faith, but for us all.
Here at Rose Park our mission statement is: to connect the disconnected, to empower the connected, and to reconcile all things to God. The season of Lent is a beautiful display of this mission statement. During this 40-day period we seek to connect the disconnected and prepare them for faith in Christ Jesus through baptism and profession of faith. We empower the connected by striving to deepen their piety, devotion, and readiness to mark the death and resurrection of Christ. We reconcile all things to God because our connecting and empowering is not for our glory but for the glory of Jesus and His Kingdom.
We want to live in the healthy tension of connecting the disconnected and empowering the connected. On Palm Sunday (April 13), we have the opportunity to gather around the font for baptism and the reception of new members. But if you, or someone you know, has not been baptized or made profession of faith, please reach out to me or a consistory member as we would cherish the opportunity to have that conversation. At the same time, if you have been baptized, made profession of faith, and found a spiritual home within the church then we desire to continue the conversation so as to best mature our faith and disciple others.
The Worship Sourcebook concludes its description of the Lenten season with these words: the primary focus of the season is to explore and deepen a ‘baptismal spirituality’ that centers on our union with Christ rather than to function only as a extended meditation on Christ’s suffering and death. Whether we are new to the faith, a wandering believer, or a storm-tested follower of Christ, let us come back to the center of our union with Christ through the waters of baptism. Regardless of when we were baptized, let our hearts, minds, and lives be unified with Christ again and again.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark
Photo by Matt Hardy on Unsplash