Dear First Parish,

March arrives carrying both the hush of lingering winter and the quiet invitation of Lent. The snow may still cover everything, the mornings remain slow to brighten, and yet beneath the frozen earth something is stirring.

Lent is like that.

In the church year, Lent is our forty-day journey toward Easter — a season rooted in Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness. It is a time of reflection, prayer, repentance, and renewal. But more than giving something up, Lent is about making space — space to encounter Jesus more deeply.

Throughout the Gospels, so many encounters with Jesus happened in quiet, in wilderness places, or in the midst of personal struggle:

• Nicodemus coming by night, full of questions.
• Mary and Martha gather with Jesus at their brother Lazarus’ tomb.
• The disciples, weary and uncertain, called gently to follow.

These were not loud, triumphant moments. They were intimate. Personal. Transforming.

Late winter gives us a similar gift. The world is quieter. Trees stand bare. The pace feels slower. We are invited inward — into prayer, into stillness, into honesty with God. This month, I invite you to make some extra time to read, pray, or sit quietly with God.

Even beneath frozen ground, life is preparing to rise. Even in the quiet of Lent, resurrection is drawing near. May this holy season deepen your faith and steady your heart.

Blessings,

Rev. Katherine