Just as most Christians are counting the days until their Lenten sacrifices end, the Greek Orthodox begin Great Lent today.
And these folks don't play when it comes to fasting and prayer for the season. The churches will add at least two special prayer services during the week, and they basically adopt a vegan diet (so no meat or dairy products) for 40 days.
For that reason, it's all the more impressive that the women of the Ladies Philoptochos Society (which serves the poor) of St. George Greek Orthodox Church are hosting a bake sale on March 20 -- Holy Thursday for Western Christians. Sweet breads, cookies and baklava will all be available. If I were them it would all be too tempting, but I'm sure there's a better market for their wares during Western Holy Week.
Showing posts with label Lent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lent. Show all posts
Monday, March 10, 2008
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Lenten blessings to all
The party is over, and today Christians start our reflection and soul-scrubbing to get ready for Easter.
While Lent is probably most associated with the Catholic church, since it has all sorts of rules for eating and what not, it is not an exclusively Catholic celebration. And this year, it seems to me, more churches are getting in the spirit of the season. Maybe they just did a better job of telling me what they're doing, but I noticed more Bible studies and other special Lenten devotions.
To me, Lent is more about spending more time with God than giving something up (although I'll do some of that too), so all of these extra prayers provide structured ways to increase prayer. Here's some that have crossed my desk for y'all to consider:
BARKSDALE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 1465 Patricia Drive, Bossier City: 7 a.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Lenten breakfast.
BROADMOOR UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 3715 Youree Drive, Shreveport: 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays through March 19. Lenten worship and Bible studies for all ages.
CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS, 875 Cotton St., Shreveport: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Soup Days with soup, desserts and coffee. Cost: $3.
FELLOWSHIP UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 4750 Barksdale Blvd., Bossier City: 7 a.m. weekdays, Holy Communion. 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, supper and small group studies with activities for children.
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH, 2115 Line Ave., Shreveport: 6 p.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Soup supper followed by Bible study on The Fruit of the Spirit.
LAKEVIEW UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 5550 Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport: 5 p.m. Sundays through May 4. Lenten Bible study, "The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ."
ST. MARY OF THE PINES CATHOLIC CHURCH, 1050 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Shreveport: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Fridays through March 21. Lenten Fish Fry. Plates are $6 or a 1 pound fish only plate for $9. 6 p.m. Feb. 17-19, Lenten Mission with the Rev. Tim Hurd.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 4175 Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport: 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Soup supper followed by Vespers prayer service.
While Lent is probably most associated with the Catholic church, since it has all sorts of rules for eating and what not, it is not an exclusively Catholic celebration. And this year, it seems to me, more churches are getting in the spirit of the season. Maybe they just did a better job of telling me what they're doing, but I noticed more Bible studies and other special Lenten devotions.
To me, Lent is more about spending more time with God than giving something up (although I'll do some of that too), so all of these extra prayers provide structured ways to increase prayer. Here's some that have crossed my desk for y'all to consider:
BARKSDALE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 1465 Patricia Drive, Bossier City: 7 a.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Lenten breakfast.
BROADMOOR UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 3715 Youree Drive, Shreveport: 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays through March 19. Lenten worship and Bible studies for all ages.
CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS, 875 Cotton St., Shreveport: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Soup Days with soup, desserts and coffee. Cost: $3.
FELLOWSHIP UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 4750 Barksdale Blvd., Bossier City: 7 a.m. weekdays, Holy Communion. 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, supper and small group studies with activities for children.
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH, 2115 Line Ave., Shreveport: 6 p.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Soup supper followed by Bible study on The Fruit of the Spirit.
LAKEVIEW UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 5550 Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport: 5 p.m. Sundays through May 4. Lenten Bible study, "The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ."
ST. MARY OF THE PINES CATHOLIC CHURCH, 1050 Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, Shreveport: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Fridays through March 21. Lenten Fish Fry. Plates are $6 or a 1 pound fish only plate for $9. 6 p.m. Feb. 17-19, Lenten Mission with the Rev. Tim Hurd.
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 4175 Lakeshore Drive, Shreveport: 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays through March 12. Soup supper followed by Vespers prayer service.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Super Tuesday - Louisiana Style
Folks in the rest of the country are worried about picking up votes, while we're worried about catching beads and that last piece of King Cake.
Jim McGill, a long time instructor at the Diocese of Shreveport's Greco Center, gave an incredible presentation last year about Mardi Gras, Lent and Easter and how they all fit together in a spiritual sense. I'll do my best to give you my own recap/interpretation of why Mardi Gras is a spiritual season.
It starts with Christmas, when Christians believe God took on human form and came to Earth as the Baby Jesus. That act seems to support the idea that being human is a good thing, and we should relish in the incredible gift of life and the tangible, beautiful, messy parts of being eternal souls with bodies.
Enter Mardi Gras. We sometimes go overboard with our celebrations, but in the best sense this season is about enjoying life -- eating, drinking, being merry.
After a few weeks of that though, we start to wonder is there soemthing else out there? Ash Wednesday forces that discussion. We fast, pray, give alms and perform other sacrifices depriving that same body we just celebrated. In other words, we seek. We look for our souls and examine it. What should we do better? How can we find a balance of spirit and worldliness?
The intensity of Lent leads to Easter. Jesus rises from the dead. We too have a fresh start. We can now live in the world revivied, with a new understanding that there's more to it than the eating, drinking and being merry.
When Jim gave his theological analysis of the seasons, I thought about the many conversion stories I have heard in my five years of covering the religious community. They all sound like that same pattern. Someone enjoys life a little too much, hits bottom, searches for some meaning and often finds that in a religious community. And to some extent it sounds like a cycle we all have to live of constant examination and conversion.
So enjoy your King Cake today. Tomorrow we will have questions to ponder.
Jim McGill, a long time instructor at the Diocese of Shreveport's Greco Center, gave an incredible presentation last year about Mardi Gras, Lent and Easter and how they all fit together in a spiritual sense. I'll do my best to give you my own recap/interpretation of why Mardi Gras is a spiritual season.
It starts with Christmas, when Christians believe God took on human form and came to Earth as the Baby Jesus. That act seems to support the idea that being human is a good thing, and we should relish in the incredible gift of life and the tangible, beautiful, messy parts of being eternal souls with bodies.
Enter Mardi Gras. We sometimes go overboard with our celebrations, but in the best sense this season is about enjoying life -- eating, drinking, being merry.
After a few weeks of that though, we start to wonder is there soemthing else out there? Ash Wednesday forces that discussion. We fast, pray, give alms and perform other sacrifices depriving that same body we just celebrated. In other words, we seek. We look for our souls and examine it. What should we do better? How can we find a balance of spirit and worldliness?
The intensity of Lent leads to Easter. Jesus rises from the dead. We too have a fresh start. We can now live in the world revivied, with a new understanding that there's more to it than the eating, drinking and being merry.
When Jim gave his theological analysis of the seasons, I thought about the many conversion stories I have heard in my five years of covering the religious community. They all sound like that same pattern. Someone enjoys life a little too much, hits bottom, searches for some meaning and often finds that in a religious community. And to some extent it sounds like a cycle we all have to live of constant examination and conversion.
So enjoy your King Cake today. Tomorrow we will have questions to ponder.
Photo: A family cheers on the Highland Parade Sunday. Jim Hudelson/The Times
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