At the heart of Lent

On Ash Wednesday, Pastor Susan Climo welcomed us into the season of Lent with a reminder that it is about far more than simply giving up chocolate, or wine — or even both. Her words invited us to see Lent not as a checklist of sacrifices, but as an opportunity for intention. It is a season to examine what stands between us and a deeper relationship with God, and to gently lay those things aside.

In the Book of Joel 2, we hear the call to “return to the Lord your God.” That invitation captures the heart of Lent. It is not about outward deprivation for its own sake, but about turning — reorienting our hearts, habits, and attention back toward God. If we embrace Lent this way, it becomes less about what we are giving up and more about whom we are drawing near to.

May you have a blessed Lent as you turn to God.