Lent — A Season of Renewal
As we turn the page into February, our hearts and minds begin to shift toward the season of Lent—a time of reflection, renewal, and returning to the promises of God. This year, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18, with worship at 6:30 p.m. Ash Wednesday always falls 40 days before Easter (not counting Sundays), and Easter itself is set each year as the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after March 21. If that full moon happens to fall on a Sunday, Easter is celebrated the following week. These rhythms of the church year remind us that our faith is rooted not only in Scripture and tradition, but also in the steady turning of creation itself.
We will again gather on the Wednesdays of Lent using the beloved Holden Evening Prayer by Marty Haugen. Its gentle melodies and prayerful cadence have become a cherished part of our Lenten journey together. Following Ash Wednesday, each Wednesday service will feature a member of Good Shepherd sharing a personal reflection on how their faith and their connection to this community have shaped them through both joys and struggles. These stories are often some of the most meaningful moments of our Lenten season—honest, heartfelt reminders that God is at work in every life.
The speaker schedule is as follows and all services begin at 6:30p.m.:
Pastor Harald Bringsjord — Ash Wednesday, February 18
Karl Greenfield — February 25
Charlotte Travelli — March 4
Janette Dawson — March 11
Kathy McLain — March 18
Glen Johnson — March 25
Pastor Harald Bringsjord — Maundy Thursday, April 2
Luke Wrobel and Pastor Harald — Good Friday, Tenebrae Service, April 3
I would like to encourage everyone to make a commitment to be present in worship throughout the Lenten journey. Your presence is a meaningful way to support those who will be speaking, to learn more about one another, and to participate in a worship experience that draws us closer to God and to each other. I am confident that we will be stirred in our own faith by the stories that will be shared.
Perhaps this is also a good time to invite a friend to come to church with you. Lent offers each of us a special opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and to deepen our commitment to a way of life rooted in our baptism. The experiences shared by our brothers and sisters in Christ will certainly enrich this journey. We never travel alone—we are always journeying together, and in that shared journey may grace flourish.
Let us pray for one another as we walk this Lenten path toward the joy of Easter on April 5, 2026.
Harald Bringsjord
Senior Pastor Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
