Welcome to Lent! A season of grace and hope. A season of journeying to Christ’s cross of love. A season of reflection on our own lives as God’s beloved ones.
Each week, you are invited to be a part of a wonderful interactive study of Women’s Encounters with Jesus. This year marks the ELCA’s celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the ordination of women. Since Elizabeth Platz was first ordained in the Lutheran Church in America, one of the predecessor bodies to the ELCA, in November 1970, women have grown to make up about 28% of the list of rostered clergy, and about 50% currently in seminaries in the ELCA. So much has changed for women since those early days, but there is still room to grow. Women bring a different voice to the proclamation of the gospel, just as they did 2000 years ago!
In Jesus’ day, women were generally silent, and rarely if ever seen, and are generally nameless. We hear about the Canaanite woman, or the Samaritan woman, or they are identified by their relationship to a man such as Jairus’s daughter or Simon’s mother-in-law. So the very inclusion of women in the gospel texts is remarkable. Yet these women are a part of our history and a part of Jesus’ story.
This Lenten season, we will explore a different woman’s story here online with a video introducing her and questions that we may answer and interact with together online. In addition, Wednesday evening worship will also reflect these women’s stories, so join us each Wednesday beginning March through April 1 for soup supper at 6:00 and Evening Prayer at 7.
May your journey to the cross be one of grace, meaning, and hope, as you see in these stories that we are all beloved by God who stops at nothing to bring us light and life.
Blessing and peace be with you on your Lenten journey!
Pastor Joanne
Discussion Questions
Please share your thoughts about this lesson and any of the discussion questions in the box below.
Each week, you are invited to be a part of a wonderful interactive study of Women’s Encounters with Jesus. This year marks the ELCA’s celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the ordination of women. Since Elizabeth Platz was first ordained in the Lutheran Church in America, one of the predecessor bodies to the ELCA, in November 1970, women have grown to make up about 28% of the list of rostered clergy, and about 50% currently in seminaries in the ELCA. So much has changed for women since those early days, but there is still room to grow. Women bring a different voice to the proclamation of the gospel, just as they did 2000 years ago!
In Jesus’ day, women were generally silent, and rarely if ever seen, and are generally nameless. We hear about the Canaanite woman, or the Samaritan woman, or they are identified by their relationship to a man such as Jairus’s daughter or Simon’s mother-in-law. So the very inclusion of women in the gospel texts is remarkable. Yet these women are a part of our history and a part of Jesus’ story.
This Lenten season, we will explore a different woman’s story here online with a video introducing her and questions that we may answer and interact with together online. In addition, Wednesday evening worship will also reflect these women’s stories, so join us each Wednesday beginning March through April 1 for soup supper at 6:00 and Evening Prayer at 7.
May your journey to the cross be one of grace, meaning, and hope, as you see in these stories that we are all beloved by God who stops at nothing to bring us light and life.
Blessing and peace be with you on your Lenten journey!
Pastor Joanne
Discussion Questions
- How do you observe Lent? Do you give something up for Lent, or take something on? How do you deepen your faith journey in this season?
- Who are your favorite characters in the gospels? Who do you relate to? Who can’t you relate to? Why?
- What character in the gospels would you like to meet someday – other than Jesus? Why? What would you like to ask them?
Please share your thoughts about this lesson and any of the discussion questions in the box below.