Lent@Landmark

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the 40 days of Lent that prepare us for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It starts with our 7-9am “Drive-Thru Ashes,” with our neighbors pulling in to our Landmark Drive entrances to receive ashes on their foreheads without getting out of the car. We offer that for busy families on the way to dropping off kids at school and heading to work in case they won’t have the chance to attend an Ash Wednesday worship service in person. This allows them to still bear this ancient mark of repentance all day, bearing witness to everyone around them about the important season that has begun.

The best part of drive-thru ashes are those cars with kids in the back seat on their way to Leila Davis Elementary, our next door neighbors south of us along Landmark Dr. Invariably they look out the window at this strangely dressed guy, staring at me as they drive by. I love to imagine the conversation that happens in the car as they then ask, “Hey, what is that man doing out there?”

During Lent I’ll share a brief Lent@Landmark (Yes, I stole that idea from Ashley’s Happening@Heritage emails…) Scripture reflection on the church’s blog to help us all keep this important season ever before us, trusting that God will use it to refine us and make us the disciples, and the church, that this world needs us to be!

Thankful to Gather, Grow, and Love our neighbors in Clearwater and around the world with you!

Pastor Matt