Dear FPC Family,

Ash Wednesday—a threshold we cross together into the season of Lent. It is a day of dust and honesty, of ancient words spoken over us: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." We receive the mark of the cross in ashes on our foreheads, a visible sign of our mortality and our need for God's mercy. It is somber, yes, but also strangely tender—a reminder that we belong to God, even in our fragility.

 Lent is a forty-day journey (not counting Sundays) that mirrors Jesus' time in the wilderness. It's a season of fasting, prayer, and reflection—a time to strip away what distracts us and draw closer to God. Traditionally, Christians have given up something during Lent, but the deeper invitation is not just subtraction. It's about making space for God to meet us in new ways.

 This year, I want to share an invitation from Pope Leo XIV that reframes what it might mean to fast during Lent:

"I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor. Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgment, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities. In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace."

What if, this Lent, we fasted from cruelty? From gossip? From the quick and cutting remark? What if we practiced the discipline of kind speech—not as naivety, but as resistance to the forces that divide and diminish us?

We'll gather for worship and continue this journey together, 

Pastor Taeler