Lent 2026: & Then What?

This year, as I have been reflecting on Lent and what might be helpful for us all to consider together, I came across a Lent devotional from The Salt Project that looks at the power of "and" -  specifically the symbol,  "&" known as an "ampersand".  

"And" draws us forward. It opens up what's next. It tells a bigger story than what seems possible. It makes me think of Monty Python's familiar line, ' "And now... for something completely different," or improvisational theater's practice of "Yes, and",  a commitment to expanding the story rather than cutting the narrative short. In a time that can often feels chaotic, divisive, violent, and desperate... it feels  like we need a little, "and." We need a reminder that even when we say, “Yes, this is our reality. This is what is happening. This is the hurt and pain we feel…” we can also say, “And… this is not the end of the story."

Through out Lent, We will incorporate a contemplative art project as part of worship to help us engage this idea. As we reflect on "AND" and God's expansive story, we will also offer a lenten weekly devotional to help us tell our own stories of faith, and God's deliverance drawing on the work of Madeleine L'engle.

As we journey through this Lenten wilderness, our hope is that this kind of honest storytelling will help us remember the ways God has already met us on the road—and continues to do so. Through reflecting on our own stories, may we become more aware of where God’s presence is still accompanying us in all of life’s experiences.

Because death is not the final word.
The tomb is not the end.
There is something more.

There is an AND.