From the Desk of the Associate Pastor
February 2026
Lent is not just about giving things up but about cultivating our faith. It is helpful to prune ourselves of things, habits, and beliefs that no longer serve the Kingdom of God. We do this with the Holy Spirit’s guidance so that our faith might grow. One of my favorite Lenten disciplines is cleaning out my closet and “taking inventory”. I am by no means a minimalist but believe that it is helpful to see what I already have before buying more and to find ways to give away things which I no longer use.
Fortunately, for this Lenten season, my wife, Alexa Berdahl is hosting a free pop up clothing shop on March 21st at 1pm. This event will be called A Night to Smile and the goal is to provide gently used formal wear at no cost to local high school students. This goal was established to help offset the cost of Prom which can be prohibitively expensive. Prom is a night on which all high school kids deserve the ability to smile!
In this season of taking inventory, I encourage all of you to look through your closets and see what old dresses, blazers, suits, and other formal wear you no longer use. We will be accepting donations at the church and have set up clothing racks in Owen’s Hall for you to place your donations. This is a tangible way we can show love for our neighbors, practice our Lenten discipline of self-sacrifice and charitable works, and grow in our faith. We hope to see a nice collection of clothes for our local kids. If you are interested in helping with the event or have questions please contact Alexa at anighttosmile@gmail.com
In Christ,