Lent is the forty day period that begins on Ash Wednesday, continues up to Holy Week, and ends on Easter Sunday. Sundays are skipped when the forty days are counted because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection. The term Lent is derived from the Old English word for spring, the season of the year during which it falls in the northern hemisphere. Lent is forty days long because that is the traditional number for discipline, devotion and preparation in the Bible.

Lent is a time for soul-searching, repentance, and reflection. Lent originated as a preparatory time for early Christians to rededicate themselves to their faith and for converts to be instructed in Christianity and to be baptized. When we observe Lent, we are imitating Jesus' withdrawal into the wilderness for forty days. At our church, we decorate the altar with the royal color purple, which signifies the coming of our King.

Our church observes Lent with a variety of programs, dinners, and concerts. Please check Steeple Notes for the times and dates of these activities.