An Invitation to a Lenten Journey: Cross Sections

See Lenten Video Series - beginning 2/17/21 at 8am

When the Way of Jesus Intersects with Significant Spaces

It has been an unsettling year, even traumatizing at times. The pandemic has been devastating. Political division has been polarizing. Denominational concerns weigh heavily upon hearts and minds. Clergy and church leaders are weary. Congregations are drained. Souls are hurting.

And yet, the cross-carrying, heart-deepening, Resurrection-anticipating journey of Lent calls out to the church, inviting us to journey alongside Jesus into those significant spaces where his Way intersects with our sorrow and our joy, our grief and our rejoicing, our despair and our hope. These places of intersection might be called “cross sections.” They are territories of revelation and transformation in which Jesus incarnates a saving and sanctifying grace in often surprising ways.

Some of your Conference’s leaders have created a spiritual Lenten journey, entitled “Cross Sections.” Grounded in Scripture and prayer, “Cross Sections” is designed to help you and your congregation both to pray deeply and to engage meaningfully with Scripture throughout the Lenten season.

• Each Wednesday throughout Lent (beginning with Ash Wednesday, February 17), and every day during Holy Week, a brief “Cross Sections” video will premiere at 8:00am on the wpaumc.org/lenten-video-series page. Each video will feature a different facilitator.
• We encourage you to make it a personal discipline to watch each video at 8:00 a.m. on its premiere day, recognizing that you will be joining many others throughout the Conference who are watching and praying at the same time.
• Following its 8:00 a.m. premiere, each video will then be available for use on the Conference website.
• Since the videos will be brief, we encourage you to utilize the videos in your Lenten studies, worship experiences, and prayer services (irrespective of whether they are in-person or virtual gatherings)
• A link to the printed version of each “Cross Section will also be available.”
• For planning purposes, here's an overview of the journey.

The sincere hope is that this journey into the “cross sections” will be an opportunity to experience afresh the Way, the Truth, and the Life of Jesus Christ in a manner that leads to greater healing, deeper discernment, and a more vibrant experience of the joy of our salvation. May it be so.