Lent Week 1
The Right Tempo
Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Every Rabbi had his way of practicing the Jewish faith. He had the texts that were most important and practices that he placed above others. This teaching was called his “yoke”. A yoke is what is used to harness two oxen together to pull a cart or plow. A yoke binds two together in one purpose. So a Rabbi’s teaching binds together his followers to a shared teaching, practice, and purpose.

Jesus says, “I love you and care for you. Learn from me and follow my ways and you will find peace and rest. Following my way is easier than what you are doing now.” Jesus invited us to follow His teaching and example and promises it will ease our burdens and give us rest.

Lent is a time of preparation for Easter, often the way we approach it is a “big downer”, but what if this year we gave up our weary, burdened lives to follow a God that offers us rest?

Jesus would regularly go off to pray, often in the wilderness. He would take time to slow down and connect to the Divine. If we are to follow His way, we must do the same.

This Lent, find a place where you can get away and connect to God. We suggest picking a chair in a quiet spot to be your “prayer chair” for this season. Spend 10 minutes a day to take a breath, slow down, and let go of those burdens that you carry, the ones that give you no rest. Let go of feeling like you are never enough, and know that you are a beloved child of God, made in God’s own image. Let go of feeling alone, and sit quietly and become aware of God’s presence and know that God is with you always. Let go of feeling anxious, and open yourself up to trusting God and yourself. For 10 minutes a day, be yoked together with God, for the purpose of easing your burdens.

In Matthew 22:36-40 Jesus was asked, “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” He said, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” Spend 10 minutes a day in prayer loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind. So that you can go into the world and follow the second part of Jesus’ teaching which was, “‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” This is the yoke of Jesus, let us all be bound together in this shared purpose.

Prayer:
For the times when I have run myself and others ragged…forgive me.
For the times when I have asked of myself too much or too little…forgive me.
Help me to find the right tempos for the right times, O God.
Help me be gentle in my learning and growing- with myself and with others.
Help me step back when the toxic and the overbearing pace of life that I believe I must adhere to in order to live up to some external ideal threatens to tear down my connections to life, love and you.
In this moment I hear Your promise:
Your yoke is easy,
Your burden is light.
You do not ask me to destroy myself in order to please you.
I am Your child, created by you, with whom you are pleased…Just. Blessed.
Holy God, who holds me close as a Loving Parent does,
I honor this life You have given me and this moment to remember what’s important.
I pray that Your love will reign in all the earth and in my heart.
Give me what I need to get through the next 24 hours. No more. No less.
Open me to give and receive forgiveness when and if that’s needed so that serenity will return.
Your world is precious. This moment will never pass again.
With this breath I offer my deepest thanks. Amen

-Rev. Bill Mauldin

Weekly Schedule

Wednesday, 13th
6:30 PM Covenant Carillons-sanctuary
7:30 PM Adult Choir -Choir Rm
Thursday, 14th
12:00 PM 4H-EB201-5
6:30 PM Ladies in Fellowship Together (LIFT)-Home of Marilyn Paa
6:30 PM ReFit-CC
Saturday, 16th
9:00 AM C.O.D.A.-202EB
Sunday, 17th
9:00 AM Sunday School for All Ages
9:00 AM Conversation with Pastor Carol-sanctuary
10:30 AM UNITY WORSHIP SERVICE
11:45 AM Covenant Cafe-EB201-5
12:15 PM Elementary Singers-EB207
12:15 PM Preschool Singers-EB202
12:15 PM UMYF: EB201-205
12:45 PM Children’s Chimes-sanctuary

This Week!
L.I.F.T.
Thursday, March 14
The monthly LIFT (Ladies in Fellowship Together) meeting will be Thursday, March 14 at 6:30 pm at the home of Marilyn Paa. Go to L.I.F.T. for more information. Bring a snack or covered dish to share, enjoy food, fellowship and a short devotional. If you do not have time to prepare a dish, please come anyway for this time of food and fellowship!

Confirmation
Begins Sunday, March 17
1:45 pm in the Youth Room
If you have a child who is going into 6th grade, or who has not been in Confirmation class, contact Pastor Bill [email protected].

Sunday Highlights – March 17, Second Sunday in Lent
Pastor Carol will lead another Conversation regarding General Conference and the United Methodist Church this Sunday beginning at 9 am in the sanctuary.

Acolyte:
Lilly Engels

Ushers:
Sherry Dunn and Randy Lasley

A/V:
Ted Ditty

Counters:
Ted Ditty and Rodney Stewart

Coming Soon!
Secure Document Shredding
Saturday, April 6
10 am to 1:30 pm
Holy Covenant parking lot
Protect your identity while supporting Holy Covenant United Methodist Church Missions! Watch your documents being shredded on site with the utmost security. The cost is $5.00 per “ream of paper” sized box. Invite your friends and family to bring their sensitive documents to be shredded. Shredding done by Secure On-Site Shredding Inc. Visit secureonsiteshredding.com for more information about the company.

A Year in the Bible 2019: 

Feel like you’ve missed the boat on reading the Bible in chronological order? Don’t! You can jump right in in any of the following ways:
1. Download the free Bible app by You Version. This link should take you to the group from Holy Covenant that are doing this reading together: Invitation.
2. You can use the link above on-line as well. If you don’t want to be connected to others you can just go to bible.com. Go to plans and search The One Year Chronological Bible.
3. You can listen to The One Year Chronological Bible through Audible.com at Audiobook or you can download the app and listen to it on your phone.
4. You can buy a The One Year Chronological Bible in book form through Amazon at Amazon or download it to your Kindle or E-Reader.
5. You can use any Bible you want and follow this print out that tells you what scriptures to read each day: Reading Plan.

Support Holy Covenant While You Shop
You can support Holy Covenant while you shop. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to your favorite charitable organization. To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile. Select Holy Covenant United Methodist Church to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. Amazon will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.

Highlights Outside Holy Covenant
Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support Group
Third Tuesday of each month at 6 pm
Located on the third floor, Atria Carrollton – 1825 Arbor Creek Drive, Carrollton
Support for those supporting others. Surround yourself each month with people who offer kindness, understanding and togetherness to those who care for others. Refreshments provided by Atria Carrollton.