As we enter the sacred season of Lent, Rev. Cindy invites you to journey together through 40 days of prayer, service, and reflection, deepening our connection to God and one another. Lent offers us a precious opportunity to renew and recommit to living as Christ’s hands and feet in the world.
Prayer
This year, we are asking each of you, or families, to sign up for one of the 40 days in Lent and dedicate time for prayer. A model prayer and Lenten purple votive candle is provided to intentionally guide you to take a few minutes, or however long the spirit moves you, to pray for yourself, our community, our nation, and the world. Let St. James the Great weave a continuous thread of prayer throughout this holy season, lifting our hearts and minds to God in unity and love.
This prayer provides a model and space for personal reflection and intercession, grounding the Lenten journey in a spirit of humility, love, and renewal. Feel free to adapt this prayer to your own personal use:
God, may your light guide my day, and your spirit bring me peace. Amen.
May my actions of today be a reminder of my dependence on you, the giver of every good gift.
As I journey through this day, may my heart ache with compassion for all my brothers and sisters
around the world who suffer.
Let your love unite us, and may my actionsreflect your mercy and justice, building your kingdom here on earth.
I am deeply sorry for the moments today when I fall short of your call for love and grace.
I ask for your forgiveness and the courage to rise again tomorrow and walk in your ways.
I lift up (name of the person you would like to pray for) to your care and blessing. Pour your love over them, granting them strength, comfort, and peace throughout this holy season of Lent.
Lord, I surrender my heart, my desires, and my will to you. Through prayer, fasting, and reflection, transform me into the person you created me to be.
Amen.
Service
We are thrilled to partner with the Jessie Rees Foundation (www.negu.org) to bring joy to children fighting cancer. On Friday, March 28th, at 6 p.m., we will gather in the Great Hall for a traditional fish fry, sponsored by CREW. CREW will be assembling gift bags for these brave kids and you are welcome to help. It will be an evening of fellowship and purposeful service—a beautiful way to live out our faith during the Lenten season.
Reflection
We will also be offering three Sunday mornings to reflect on our spiritual journeys with Ariel Vapor; March 9th and 23rd, and April 6th, in the Lab from 9:15 to 9:45.
Ariel Vapor’s Christian mission is to remind others that Jesus Christ is both human and divine; that the incarnate God knows our struggles; that we are works in progress; and that someday we too will rise. His formation includes a master’s degree in Liturgical Studies from the University of Notre Dame 2016) and nearly two decades (1990s to 2017) of engagement in and witness to the faith in a Franciscan community in Huntington Beach. He was confirmed into the Episcopal faith in 2022 at St. James the Great, Newport Beach, where he is currently co-lead of the Liturgical Environment Team Ministry.
