Clergy from left, Deacon Amy Schmuck, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired, The Rev. Mary Ann Hill. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com
By The Rev. Mary Ann Hill
Rector
Trinity on the Hill
Lent is Coming!
Lent will be here before we know it. Ash Wednesday is Feb. 18. That means people are probably thinking about what they might give up or take on.
I still have to laugh when I think about something that happened in my last parish. There was a man who gave up meat for Lent every year, and he usually dropped a few pounds. Pretty soon, other parishioners decided that they wanted to do the same. But they didn’t lose any weight. Well, it turns out that Jim didn’t just give up meat – he also gave up beer! The moral of this story is that viewing a Lenten fast like it is a liturgically motivated weight loss program misses the point.
Lent is a time for spiritual growth, and depriving ourselves of luxuries or things we take for granted can help with that. I have some friends who are doing the SNAP Challenge for Lent this year. The average monthly SNAP benefit in New Mexico is about $179/month per person or $5.90 per day. My friends plan to stick to that budget and give the money they save on groceries to LA Cares. I have other friends who “shop the pantry”. Over the course of six weeks they use up everything in their pantry and freezer, only buying a few non-shelf stable necessities. They give the money to a homeless shelter.
Some people choose to take on an extra spiritual practice during Lent, like spending more time in Bible study or spiritual reading. Others might spend more time in service to others by volunteering. I think the point is that what we do (or don’t do) is something that makes us more mindful about our relationship with God.
For many years, several Los Alamos Churches have gathered weekly during Lent for an ecumenical soup supper with classes and a short worship service. The group currently includes Bethlehem Lutheran, First United Methodist, Trinity on the Hill, United Church, White Rock Methodist and White Rock Presbyterian. This year we are meeting on Thursdays at 6 p.m., starting on Feb. 26 at Trinity on the Hill, 3900 Trinity Drive. Our theme is “… and hope does not disappoint us.” (Romans 5:5a) There will be classes or presentations on a wide variety of topics with presenters from participating churches, the Los Alamos Faith and Science Forum, and the Los Alamos Jewish Center. Childcare will be provided.
In addition to the Soup Suppers, the aforementioned churches all contribute to a Lenten devotional booklet that has short readings for every day during Lent, written by parishioners and clergy – in other words, your friends and neighbors. Many of us, especially in this town, are fairly introverted, so it can be a pleasant surprise to discover the spiritual depth of people we encounter on a regular basis. You are welcome to stop by one of our churches starting the week of Ash Wednesday to pick up a copy.
Editor’s note: ‘All Shall Be Well’ is a column written by local women clergy, including The Rev. Mary Ann Hill, Rector, Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church (momaryannhill@gmail.com); Deacon Amy Schmuck, Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church (deaconamy@bethluth.com); and ELCA Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, M.Div., retired (czoebidd@gmail.com).