Lenten Season 2024

Figuring out faith with Peter

COMMUNITY

This Lent, we are focusing on the life and faith of one of Jesus’ most famous disciples. In Peter, we see a person who is both steadfast and unsteady, a dear friend and a betrayer, a follower and a wanderer. In Peter, we often see ourselves. By following Peter’s journey, we watch the story of Jesus unfold through the eyes of a very normal human trying to figure it all out—just like us.

This Lent, we will look for ourselves in the stepping stones of Peter’s story. We will reflect on the stages of our own faith journeys as well as who and what has shaped us along the way. As we wander, let us tune our hearts to sing God’s grace. May we rest in streams of mercy, never ceasing.

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Wandering Heart Devotional

Lent Services

Easter Flower Orders

Lent Bible Study: Luke

The Art of Lent

Daily Devotional Cards

Printed Devotionals, Devotional Card Packs and Childrens Wandering Heart Maps are available in the entryway of the church each Sunday and in the Church Office, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 3:00pm

February 14th - 7:00pm
Ash Wednesday

As we begin the season, let us turn inward and tune our hearts. Before an orchestra plays together, they must all tune their instruments—the cacophony of this process may be very loud and create lots of dissonance, but it’s a necessary step in the process of creating harmonies and melodies. And so, this Lent, how can you tune the instrument of your heart so that it aligns with God?

February 18th - 9:30am

Jesus doesn’t seek out trained Rabbis to be his disciples; instead, he calls a few Galilean fishermen to follow him and join his ministry. In this story, Jesus tells Simon Peter to drop his nets one more time, even though they’ve been fishing all night long and have caught nothing. To their surprise, they haul in nets bursting with fish. In response to this abundant miracle, Peter says, “Go away from me, Lord!” And yet, Peter and his partners drop their nets and follow Jesus. What is the beginning of your faith story? When has God sought you out? Have you ever felt like your calling was pursuing—or chasing—you? Did you resist? Did you follow?

February 25th - 9:30am

As a new disciple, perhaps Peter wants to prove himself. Boldly, in the middle of a storm, Peter steps out of the boat to join Jesus who is walking on top of the waves. He, too, walks on water until the wind shakes his trust and he begins to sink. Many of us know what it feels like to be thrown off balance, to feel as if we’re sinking. Maybe this looks like doubt, unexpected change, too-busy seasons of life, devastating grief, or distance from God. In this story, we empathize with the desperation Peter feels as he cries out, and we pray for God to save us when we sink.

March 3rd - 9:30am
Communion Sunday

“Praise the mount of God’s unchanging love. . . ” This lyric represents Peter’s mountaintop faith moment. It speaks to spiritual euphoria and feeling the closeness of God. In this story, Peter proclaims who Jesus is. He speaks with conviction. Peter claims his faith. If you had to speak your faith in one sentence or phrase, what would you say? When we have the courage to say, “This, I believe…” then that conviction has a ripple effect on others. When life gets rocky, we lean on mountain top moments and our deepest convictions to see us through.

March 10th - 9:30am

When your world unravels and your beliefs are tested, you may cling to what you know. As Jesus foretells his death and resurrection, Peter protests. Peter is fixed upon the way he thinks things should go; he resists the pain of what will come. But Jesus is fixed upon his calling and calls Peter out. For everyone, there comes a time when your faith is tested and you will have to face difficult and inconvenient truths. We may want to take the easier path, the path with less pain. We may want to cling to easy or simplistic answers. Instead, what does it look like to welcome complexity? Can you stay fixed upon your convictions while also expanding your perspective?

March 17th - 9:30am

Peter is often all or nothing, either resisting Jesus or drawing closer to him in earnest. In this scripture, we see a version of Peter who is hungry to learn. His posture is humble and open—he wants to absorb Jesus’ teachings like a wet sponge. He asks a question and might expect a straightforward answer: “How many times should I forgive?” Instead, Jesus’ math is not predictable—it’s infinite. Forgiveness is abundant; grace is not earned. In your own faith, do you find comfort in theological formulas? Do you wish for straightforward answers? Can you let go of black-and-white thinking and instead embrace the infinite colors of grace?

March 24th - 9:30am
Palm Sunday
Special Music - Brass Quintet

As Holy Week begins, Peter is no longer front and center, and so we imagine he is with the rest of the disciples when Jesus enters Jerusalem on a colt. As they witness crowds shouting hosannas, the disciples are confused. When they look back on this experience, perhaps they will remember the songs. The singing is surely etched in their memories. As we imagine ourselves in the crowd on this day, may we remember that they are supposed to be praising Caesar, but instead they are shouting for the one entering the city on a donkey. Their singing is subversive, courageous, and contagious. Their praise shows the ripple effect of public displays of faith.

March 24th - 7:00pm
Maundy Thursday
Communion

During the Last Supper, Jesus kneels to wash his disciples’ feet. When he comes to Peter, we see a similar pattern unfold yet again: reluctance then exuberance. Peter initially resits, but then he wholeheartedly submits. We see this duality in Peter often, but do we also see these patterns in ourselves? Peter is named “Cephas,” which means “the rock.” In this story, we imagine that God’s grace reshapes him in the way that water softens the rough edges of stone. When we, like Peter, are reluctant and resistant to receiving love, can we remember that streams of mercy are never ceasing? Will we be reshaped by grace?

March 29th - Noon
Good Friday

On this Holy Day, we are paying close attention to how Peter acts in Jesus’ final hours. So much happens in a short amount of time: Jesus predicts Peter’s denial, soldiers come and Peter draws his sword, Jesus is arrested and Peter28 denies him, Peter denies Jesus again and again and the cock crows, then Jesus is crucified and dies. Peter is prone to mess up, to fight, to deny, to leave, to seek safety for himself. But aren’t we all? May we lament all the ways we are prone to leave the God we love

March 31st - 9:30am
Easter Sunday

We might expect that, after denying Christ, Peter would cower in shame—or perhaps even run away in an attempt to leave his past behind him. Instead, when he hears the news from the women, he doesn’t dismiss them like the other disciples. He gets up and runs to the tomb. When he peers into the empty tomb and sees the linen cloth, he is filled with awe. Even after the biggest failures, even after the worst case scenario has happened, can we run toward hope? Like Peter, will we keep going? Will we keep looking for God in our midst?

April 7th - 9:30am
Communion

Though Peter’s story does not end with the conclusion of the gospels, we finish our series with Peter’s encounter with the risen Christ. In this final week, we come full circle with Peter. He has dropped his nets, walked on water, professed his faith, been rebuked, received footwashing, denied Jesus, and run to the tomb. And now, Jesus once again meets him at the shoreline where Peter is casting his nets. Jesus offers abundant nourishment and also a new command: “Feed my sheep.” Then he turns to Peter and asks three times, “Do you love me?” It’s as if Jesus says, “Here’s my heart,” which washes over Peter’s three denials like a healing balm. No matter how far we wander, may we entrust our hearts to God. No matter if our faith is strong or weak, what we can give is our love.

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Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts and Outlaws

videos and book by noted Pastor and Author Adam Hamilton

In “Luke: Jesus and the Outsiders, Outcasts, and Outlaws” pastor and best-selling author Adam Hamilton explores the life of Jesus as told in the Gospel of Luke.

Through Luke's stories we find Jesus' care and compassion for everyone as he welcomes sinners and outcasts.

Six 90-minute sessions will discuss weekly video segments and book readings.

Choose from 2 different class times to fit your schedule best.

Suggested donation for Participant book is $20.00

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LOCATION: Community United Methodist Church

TO REGISTER: Contact CUMC Church Office at (262) 782-4060

FOR CLASS INFORMATION: Contact Jeff Turmel at: jaturmel14@gmail.com

COMMUNITY

February 14th - 7:00pm Ash Wednesday

February 14th - 7:00pm
Ash Wednesday