Take a midweek pause for quiet reflection and prayer during Lent. This in-person, drop-in opportunity provides:
Come as you are and spend intentional time with God in the sacred quiet of the sanctuary.
Time with God begins March 19, 2025
In addition to being a time to remember the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus, the early church used Lent to prepare converts for baptism, and to offer opportunities for those who had been separated from the church to be reconciled.
Today Lent remains an ideal time to remember our baptism and to reconcile relationships with those we may have harmed. All of this signifies to us our sinfulness and the sacrifice of Jesus which makes our forgiveness possible.
Watch a video about baptism in the United Methodist church.
Learn more about ancient traditions that still influence Easter.
Check out all our resources for Lent and Easter.
The correct answer is True.
Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a “mini-Easter” and the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.
Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, meaning “lengthen” and refers to the lengthening days of spring. The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry.
Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent began as a period of fasting and preparation for baptism by new converts and then became a time of penance by all Christians. Today, Christians focus on relationship with God, growing as disciples and extending ourselves, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of ourselves for others.
Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a “mini-Easter.” This is why you will see the designation “Sunday in Lent” rather than “Sunday of Lent” in the naming of these Sundays. On each Lord’s Day in Lent, while Lenten fasts continue, the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.
Although snow has been predicted, we will still worship in person at Pender. However, if you feel uncomfortable being out, please join us online on Youtube or Facebook.
Join us at Pender UMC on the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, January 19th, 2025, for a transformative sermon from Pastor Bruce Johnson titled “We Believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth.”
This inspiring message is part of our sermon series “What Christians Believe and Why It Matters.” Delve into the profound connections between our faith and the Creator as expressed through scriptures including Galatians 4:4-7, Matthew 6:21-33, and Genesis 1:1-4, 1:26-28, and 1:31.
Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding and appreciation of God’s mighty acts of creation.
At Pender, you’re welcome just as you are! There’s no dress code—whether you prefer jeans and a t-shirt or a dress and suit, you’ll fit right in.
Join us live at Pender UMC
12401 Alder Woods Drive, Fairfax, VA US 22033
Do you need Closed Captioning/Subtitles?
You do not need to be a Facebook member to watch the Sunday service here.
Vale UMC invites members of the community to help us package 80,000 meals for the global anti-hunger organization Rise Against Hunger .
The meal packaging event will be held at Vale UMC (11528 Vale Road, Oakton) on Sunday, February 2nd and will be organized into three sessions: 11:30-1:30pm, 2:00-4:00pm, & 4:30-6:30pm. To volunteer for a shift, PLEASE SIGN UP HERE
The whole family can participate! Kids ages 8 and up can help; child care for children under 8 can be provided if you give us advance notice (please make a note in the comments section). And for teens, this is a great opportunity to earn community service hours for school.
NOTE: The meals were purchased from the proceeds of Vale’s annual Christmas tree sale—so if you purchased a tree from Vale, thank you!
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