Sunday Lenten Formation Opportunities

Author:
February 17, 2026

Lenten Formation on Sundays 

Join us from 10:10-11:10 a.m. Sundays in Lent for these meaningful courses in Adult Formation:

Reading Between the Lines - Parlor |

Reading Between the Lines is a facilitated, lay-led conversation centered on the lectionary. Each week, participants engage one of the appointed texts more deeply — exploring its themes, historical context, and theological movement. Through thoughtful discussion and shared reflection, we consider how these ancient words continue to speak into our lives and the realities of today’s world. Active participation is encouraged, and all perspectives are welcomed. Preview the scripture HERE. 

Sunday Lenten Pilgrimage with Jim McPhee - Dean Willey Hall |

Lenten Pilgrimage, led by Jim McPhee, is a guided journey through the season of Lent designed to deepen personal formation and spiritual reflection. Each week, Jim will present and facilitate an overview of the Lenten theme, offering historical, theological, and devotional insight. While primarily lecture-based, the class invites thoughtful dialogue and shared participation.

A pilgrimage is more than a physical journey — it is a movement of the mind and heart. It gathers the gifts of truth encountered along the way and plants them within the soul. During this pilgrimage, participants will explore places that heralded or hosted Jesus during his ministry. Each day offers an opportunity to pause and reflect on an aspect of Christ’s presence — then and now. Weekly themes guide the journey (rather than a strictly geographical route), accompanied by Scripture passages intended for meditation. Participants will also encounter contextual notes about each location, both in the time of Jesus and in the present day. This class offers a meaningful way to walk intentionally toward Holy Week, allowing Lent to become not simply a season we observe, but a journey we inhabit.

Lenten Pilgrimage Weekly Journey: 
Ash Wednesday – First Sunday in Lent
God Enters the World
Lent begins with the mystery of incarnation — in the “fullness of time,” God enters the world in Jesus Christ. From the vulnerability of infancy to the maturity of adulthood, we reflect on what it means for God to dwell among us. This is the week of beginnings: God with us, God for us, God entering human history.

February 23–28
The Savior
Jesus’ formative years were spent in Nazareth, a small Jewish enclave in Galilee. Yet nearby Sepphoris was a bustling, cosmopolitan city undergoing significant construction during Jesus’ youth. It is likely that Jesus and Joseph encountered a wider world of cultures, languages, and economic systems through this proximity.
Around age thirty, Jesus emerges from relative obscurity through his baptism and the public proclamation of his mission. The hidden years give way to calling. The Savior steps forward.

March 1–8
Living Into the Call
Following his baptism, Jesus withdraws into the wilderness — a season of testing and discernment. From there, he begins his public ministry, leaving behind the familiarity of Nazareth and stepping fully into his vocation.
This week reflects the emergence of Christ’s mission: the divine Son entering fully into the work of revealing God to humanity.

March 9–14
Heights
Throughout his ministry, Jesus moved between solitude and crowds. He withdrew to mountains and seashores, yet revelation often occurred in both quiet and public places. On Mount Tabor and elsewhere, glimpses of his true identity were revealed.
This week invites reflection on where we encounter God — in stillness, in elevation, in clarity, and sometimes in the very places others gather seeking hope.

March 15–21
Miracles
The crowds often pursued Jesus for miracles. The Gospels record thirty-seven specific miracles — signs that drew attention and awakened wonder. Yet Jesus frequently expressed concern that fascination with supernatural acts might overshadow his deeper message.
The miracles were not spectacle for spectacle’s sake. They prepared hearts to hear the greater revelation: God’s desire for humanity. In Jesus, the Word made flesh, we are shown how to live, how to love, and how to endure suffering with hope.

March 22–28
Parables and Teachings
Jesus’ parables reveal the heart of God. Through story, metaphor, and image, he teaches us how to live in relationship — with God, with neighbor, and with ourselves.
We are reminded that we are uniquely cherished, yet called into communal love. The parables guide us toward trust over fear, mercy over judgment, and hope over anxiety. In them, we learn not only who God is, but who we are meant to become.

Sunday Covenantal Reconciliation Class with Ashley Ozan - Adult Learning Room

Led by Ashley Ozan, this course is a five-week Lenten series exploring faith, race, and the call to healing in our common life.
Racism and oppression carry a long and painful history, leaving wounds that fracture not only human relationships but also our relationship with God. To seek restoration, we must first understand how these realities have been formed, reinforced, and sustained within our beliefs, systems, and structures. Naming the wound is the beginning of tending it.
In this series, we pray that God would renew our minds, enliven our spirits, and awaken hope. Each week, participants will watch a short film and engage guided discussion questions in a facilitated, reflective setting. The five themes include:
A Beloved Identity: René August reflects on growing up in South Africa amid conflicting narratives in a self-described “Christian” nation. Participants are invited to resist false stories and live into a deeper, truer love rooted in God’s belovedness.
The Idol of Whiteness: Jim Wallis examines what he calls America’s “original sin” and challenges us to confront the idol of whiteness within our history and theology.
Holy Mischief: Simone Campbell explores salvation and justice, inviting us to pray for eyes to see clearly and to participate in creative, faithful disruption that brings about new life.
Politics of Radical Differences: Robyn Henderson Espinoza considers the logic of dominance and white supremacy, asking how we might build bridges of restoration rather than perpetuate harm.
Created for Abundant Life: Lliewellyn LM MacMaster speaks of hope grounded in Christ’s passage through death into life, reminding us that God has not abandoned us and that abundant life remains possible.
Covenantal Restoration offers a space for honest conversation, faithful reflection, and courageous hope as we seek to repair what has been broken and live more fully into God’s reconciling love.

Confirmation Class - Dean Willey Hall

Confirmation class with Dean Churchwell & Page Jackson takes place Sunday, Feb. 22 - Mar. 29 from 12:30p.m.- 2 p.m. in Dean Willey Hall. Lunch is provided. Click the Confirmation Class link to learn more or register! Confirmation, Reception and Affirmation will take place at the Easter Vigil on April 4. 

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