Lenten events in churches
help UMs prepare for Easter

By Claudia M. Williams
Staff Writer
United Methodists continue their periods of reflection, repentance and spiritual growth as Lent leads to Easter April 16.
Churches across Southwest Texas are offering special studies, sermon series, worship and drama and music programs.
First UMC, Corpus Christi, is in the midst of a six-week spiritual enrichment program. The 2,454-member congregation provided a recommendation each week for self-evaluation and prayer.
These recommendations included:
n Reconnecting with friends and relatives through letters and telephone calls.
n Taking “something you have made or bought to someone who means a lot to you but for whom you rarely express your love.”
n Listing 10 people—friend and enemy alike—to pray for daily, forgiving and asking for forgiveness.
The three United Methodist congregations in Seguin—First, Wesley Harper and La Trinidad UMCs—are worshiping together each Wednesday during Lent.
Miles UMC is joining Trinity Lutheran Church, Miles, in Wednesday night services looking at “Valleys of Lent.”
The Miles series began with a look at sin in the context of the Hebron Valley, where the sons of Jacob plotted to murder their brother Joseph. From literal valleys, the lessons move to what the prophet Joel calls the “Valley of Decision.”
Also on Wednesday evenings, St. John’s UMC, Austin, combines worship with the celebration of full clergy rights for women. The gatherings feature women as guest preachers.
The guests are the Rev. Kathleen Jones, a retired deacon from Austin; the Rev. Rosie Johnson, associate pastor of University UMC, Austin; the Rev. Joyce Cravens, pastor of Webb Chapel UMC, Farmers Branch; and the Rev. Kathryn McNeely of the Texas Methodist Foundation.
Maundy Thursday services are to range from April 13 re-enactments of the Last Supper to congregational participation in the Seder.
First UMC, Cedar Park; Universal City UMC; and First UMC, Kerrville, are among congregations inviting worshipers to take part in the Passover feast.
Lytle UMC plans a multisensory presentation called Peter’s Walk. People are to be guided in small groups through a series of scenes representing Peter’s three-year experience walking with Jesus.
First UMC, Harlingen, is to present One Voice, a musical drama about Good Friday (April 14). One Voice looks at the ministry and passion of Jesus as it might have been seen through the eyes of two of Pharisees, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.