New Brighton, MN (651) 633-2240
Season of Lent focuses on
“Can You Drink the Cup?”
by Henri Nouwen
During this season of Lenten preparation, we will explore Jesus’ question to his disciples, James and John, “Can you drink the cup that I drink?” by way of Henri Nouwen’s book, “Can You Drink the Cup?” Nouwen was a pastor, priest and spiritualist who lived his remaining years serving as chaplain to mentally and physically challenged adults living at l’Arche Daybreak community in Canada.
Using the cup as a metaphor, Nouwen reflects on three images-holding, Lifting and Drinking-to articulate basics of the spiritual life. The cup becomes for Nouwen a doorway opening on the spiritual horizon. “Drinking our cup to the bottom is seen as the expression of the full freedom of the sons and daughters of god,” hew writes. His goal is make the question Jesus posed pierce our hearts so that a personal answer can emerge from it.
We begin our journey on Ash Wednesday, February 9 introducing the themes of holding, lifting and drinking. On subsequent Wednesday evenings we’ll explore the cups of sorrow, joy, blessing, salvation, and life.
We pray that this journey with Jesus and Henri Nouwen will be a refreshing one for you and provide a quenching for your thirsty spirits.
Mid-week Lenten Schedule
We begin mid-week worship with traditional Ash Wednesday worship in the sanctuary with the service of Holy Communion at 7:00 p.m. Thereafter we will convene around the tables in the Fellowship Hall, following soup supper for worship, prayer, meditation and conversation. Maundy Thursday will conclude the sermon series with worship in the sanctuary at 7:00 p.m.
February 9, 2005 7:00 p.m. Ash Wednesday, Service of Holy Communion and Imposition of Ashes
Theme: Holding, Lifting and Drinking the Cup
February 16 6:30 p.m. Table Talk Worship
Theme: Cup of Sorrow
February 23 6:30 p.m. Table talk Worship
Theme: Cup of Joy
March 2 6:30 p.m. Table Talk worship
Theme: Cup of Blessing
March 9 6:30 p.m. Table Talk worship
Theme: To Life
March 16 6:30 p.m. Table Talk Worship
Theme: Cup of Salvation
March 24 Maundy Thursday 7:00 p.m. Worship Service of Holy Communion
Theme: Drinking the Cup to the Full