We enter into the Lenten tradition established by the ancient Christian Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, as a period of preparation. For those who have gone before us in the early Church, it was a time of preparation for those who were to be baptized at the Easter Vigil.

That preparation included instruction, fasting, repentance, prayers, and special acts of devotion. Today we use this same period and some of same practices in preparation for Easter. This year the season of Lent is centered around the theme “Back to the Basics: Our Life Together”. “Our Life Together” reflection began with Matthew 5:1-12 (Beatitudes), Matthew 5:13-20 (Salt and Light), and Matthew 5:21-37 (Fulfillment of the Law) it continues through campus tours and town halls, it includes a survey on mission and vision all informing our reflection our life together as a community in the body of Christ Jesus. With this in mind “Our life together” is further examined in the promises of God in Deuteronomy 5 (The Ten Commandments). Our period of preparation is a time to answer the questions:

Who is God calling me to be as an individual follower of Jesus Christ?

Who is God calling us to be as a community of Jesus Christ at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood?

In other words, it is a time of revisiting God’s promise in our lives as we live together as a community in Jesus Christ.