Have you ever felt like you have been stuck in a vicious cycle of unresolved pain, hoping that it would just get better with time? Have you struggled because the hurts of the past seem to control your present? During this Lenten season, we will focus on the need and significance of forgiveness, how it works, and why everyone needs to know how to grant it and receive it. Ultimately, we will explore why granting forgiveness is the greatest gift we can give not to others, but to ourselves when we have been wronged. Join us as we seek freedom, wholeness, and a new life together.

Lenten Devotional Guide: Let It Go, A Series on Forgiveness PDF

Service Times & Locations (Services marked with an asterisk will also be available online.)

Ash Wednesday – February 14th, 2024
Ashes-to-Go:
7:00 – 8:30 AM in the Parking Lot of UUMC
12:00 – 1:00 PM in the Parking Lot of UUMC & The Corner of Chimes and State St.
Ash Wednesday Service: 6:30 PM* in the Sanctuary

Holy Week
Palm Sunday: March 24th 8:30 and 11:00 AM* Sanctuary
Maundy Thursday: March 28th, 6:30 PM* Sanctuary
Good Friday: March 29th, Tenebrae Service 6:30 PM* Sanctuary
Easter Sunday: March 31st, 6:00 AM UUMC Courtyard 8:30 & 11:00 AM* Sanctuary 9:30 AM Brunch

Lent Studies & Prayer Practices:
The Christian faith is not only about belief and practices, it is also about the kind of people that we become. Yet some of the biggest barriers to our transformation come from our toxic self-narratives. These narratives shape the way we see ourselves and the way we interact in the world. God designed us with a deep longing in our souls to be wanted, loved, alive, and connected to God. Healing our souls requires more than knowing what God thinks about us. Our healing comes not through reason alone, but through revelation.

This Lent study is led by Rev. Katie and is based on the book, The Good and Beautiful You, by James Bryan Smith. Join us as we seek healing and hope for our lives through the six weeks of Lent beginning Wednesday, February 21st. This class is offered virtually at noon on Zoom and in person at 6:00 p.m. in the UUMC Library.

Virtual Class at Noon – Registration

In-Person Class at 6 – Registration

 

Lent Centering Prayer:
Beginning Wednesday, February 21st at 5:30 p.m. in the UUMC Chapel. Take time this Lenten season to focus on self-reflection and spiritual growth. Centering Prayer can be a valuable tool during this season as it encourages inner stillness, allowing practitioners to open themselves to the presence of God and listen to the divine within. This class will be led by Marianne Hebert and may have other special leaders throughout our time together.

Labyrinth Walks:
Our labyrinth will be open for all in the Fellowship Hall. If you are unfamiliar with this prayer practice we will have instructions available for you. The Labyrinth will be open on the following dates:

March 28th, Maundy Thursday: 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Led by Dr. John Fletcher (Worship Begins at 6:30 p.m.)
March 29th, Good Friday: 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Led by Emma Burke (Worship Begins at 6:30 p.m.)
March 30th, Holy Saturday: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Led by Lauren LeBoeuf

Walking Small Group:
Beginning Thursday, February 22nd from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and will meet in the front UUMC Parking Lot.UUMC has organized walking groups in the past, so we thought it would be great to bring them back this Lenten season. Join our walking group, where the joy of community and the benefits of physical activity come together in a spirit-filled journey. This group is a perfect blend of fitness, fellowship, and faith as we walk and talk, sharing our spiritual journeys while nurturing our bodies. There will be various leaders including Dr. John Fletcher and Lauren LeBoeuf.

 

For more information about Lent offerings, email Lauren LeBoeuf at lauren@universitymethodist.org.