February 20th, 2026 | Rev. Rachel Williams

Beloved Friends,

               I have come to love Ash Wednesday nearly as much as high holy days like Easter and Christmas. Our liturgical calendar is gloriously punctuated by days to remind us of our human-ness, our beloved-ness, and our interconnectedness as children of God. The imposition of ashes on each forehead is a symbol of our mortality and our need for repentance and God’s grace. And I find it to be a means of grace to place that small, smudged cross on each of your foreheads. To look in your eyes and say, “remember from dust you came and to dust you shall return” is a holy moment, a recognition that though we are as small as dust, we are a part of something cosmically great. This start of the Lenten season is an invitation to turn toward God and seek transformation.

               There are many opportunities for you to do just that in the next forty days. First, commit to attending worship as many Sundays as you can as we focus on who Jesus is as depicted in the Gospel of Luke. This “Wholly Jesus” series will also continue through our Wednesday night dinners and classes. You may not usually attend dinner or class, but my encouragement to you during Lent is that you consider making this your weekly practice. I am partial to the meal itself because you cannot find a better dinner for $15 a person (or free for children and youth!). This is also a time to engage in dialogue with other members of the church with whom you may not normally connect. Especially in times of discord in our world, building our skills of communication and extending grace and generosity to others are transforming.

               Another way to engage in community building is to join us this Sunday at 3 pm in Maxwell Hall for a time of worship and song with the Claflin Choir. I attended last year in a packed sanctuary, and the Spirit was at work! Invite your friends, your family and your neighbors. You surely will not want to miss this concert.

               Finally, I want to emphasize our desire to build connections in new ways by welcoming Dr. Anna Wright to our staff team to oversee our congregational care. Dr. Anna’s experience in medicine and spiritual direction are gifts for our community. Her presence allows us to expand our visitation to t

hose who are sick, in hospital or homebound. She will serve alongside Pastor Charlie and me. Surely, Pastor Charlie and I will continue to be present with pastoral visits, but Anna brings some much-needed support in the midst of our pastoral duties.  Please do not hesitate to reach out to her by calling the church office. Let us walk this Lenten journey together, turning toward God to discern how we are being drawn ever closer.

With grace and love,

Pastor Rachel