Rev. Carolyn Eklund, Rector

February 2012

I’ve always thought that our Grace Church observance of Black History Month and the season of Lent went hand-inhand. They always overlap this time of year, and I must confess I’ve never thought that this was a coincidence. Surely, it’s been God’s plan these last seven years that we’ve observed Black History Month, that Grace Church should move right into Lent while still hearing the voices of the slaves and while we still work out our own salvation from the sin of racism through “fear and trembling.”

For the past seven years now Black History Month ushers in Ash Wednesday at Grace. God seems to be at work in our parish as we raise before our community the accomplishments of our African American brothers and sisters, and the suffering of African American people in the United States of America. God seems to be at work to convict Christians that persecutors are not the center of the universe and that oppressors will meet justice because we believe this, “remember, you are dust and to dust you shall return.”

Since I’ve been traveling in the Americas and now the Caribbean, I have loved learning the history of these countries. I’ve learned of the conquest of the Western Hemisphere by the Europeans and how the extermination of the indigenous people happened. I’ve loved learning this because my eyes have been opened and I see life more and more as truth.

I have been amazed at how the Church in history and nation-states joined forces to acquire land, subjugate people, amass great wealth and gain ultimate political control all in the name of God and the Church. And it’s been most distressing to me as a pastor and theologian to learn that all this history has left great, unredeemed scars on the souls of the people of affected nations.

My work as a pastor is to help bring people and God together so that healing can have a chance. Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent are the times in our Church calendar when people have a chance to be intentional about facing our sins and returning to the only healing power that can truly relive us. Redemption is at hand, my dear friends! This is heartening news!

And so, Ash Wednesday is February 22 this year. It is one of two special days when Christians observe acts of penitence and self denial (the other being Good Friday). At Grace we will offer the “Imposition of Ashes” and “Holy Eucharist” three times on Ash Wednesday: 7:30 AM, 6:30 PM in Spanish and 7:30 PM a sung service. All worship will be in the church. “Ashes on the forehead” is a symbol for all of us to re-set the “pride-and-sin-ometer” of our lives. Now and then our lives become skewed and out-of-balance. Our faith reminds us that we are not the center of the universe and that God is at the center.

The 40 days of Lent bring us back to the basic fact that God created this universe and each of us simply for God’s sake and to be objects of God’s love. Awesome….

I am really looking forward to spending Lent with my Christian community this year since I missed Lent with you last year as I took your generous bereavement time.

Take advantage of the marvelous activities of Black History Month, the February 11, 6:30 PM Gala banquet when our beloved bishop, Rt. Rev. George E. Councell will join with Rev. Terry Rocheuvel as our keynote speakers. Both men will speak prophetically about our Christian call to be an anti-racist church.

Then repent, come to Ash Wednesday, join your community in Christ as we all return to the Lord the 40 days of Lent.

Bring a friend, family member or just yourself – come, repent and return to the Lord, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

Blessings,