By Pastor Melaina Trice

Every Time I Feel the Spirit, an African American spiritual hymn, expresses the relationship between the Spirit and humankind. It is one of my favorite songs. “Every time I feel the Spirit moving…” says God’s Spirit is active, and can be felt; it can be experienced. While this notion of God being felt is steeped in African American/Black tradition and theology, I believe it is the root of what we understand to be worship. There is a call and response to worship. God initiates a loving relationship with humankind, and we respond like a beautiful dance of love in relationship with God. We respond in prayer, in praise and worship, through our spiritual disciplines, through using our gifts in service, and through love of God and our neighbors. The movement of the Spirit liberates us to move in love and to be in relationship.

The Spirit is moving in our worship services and in each beloved child of God. A new sermon series, God. Gifts. You., has started and will continue until February 20. This sermon series will help us to discover that each person is unique and has a unique calling and design that helps us to feel more connected to God, our creator, and to each other in unity as we use these gifts in service to one another.

On Youth Sunday, February 6, Glen Mar’s youth will lead the worship service. They will look at the most important way we use our gifts, which is in love. Middle and high school youth will share this important message in engaging and interactive ways.

The season of Lent will begin on March 2 with Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday service will be at 7:30 pm. Our Lenten sermon series, I Give Up…to Give, will begin on Sunday, March 6. This sermon series will examine how the Spirit of God empowers us to walk in our liberty by giving up those things that hinder our ability to live “life more abundantly,” a life in loving community. We give up things during Lent not simply for our own benefit, but so that we can be free to love God and each other.

Holy Week will commence with our Palm Sunday services on April 10 at both the 9:30 am Spirited Traditional service and the 11:00 am Contemporary service. Maundy Thursday service will be on April 14 at 7:30 pm and Good Friday service on April 15 at 7:30 pm.

Come to celebrate on April 17, He Is Risen—He is Risen Indeed! on Easter/Resurrection Sunday. There will be several services to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Join us for Easter Sunrise Service at 7 am, Spirited Traditional at 9:30 am and/or at the Contemporary service at 11:00 am.

So, come feel the Spirit in worship, through discipleship, and in service at Glen Mar as we grow and become perfected in love.