Lent in the Episcopal Church is way different than any experience I’ve ever had. Today, the first Sunday of Lent, we read/responded/prayed *together* The Great Litany – led by the supply priest (who is freaking amazing), Father Phil.

While most of my formation as a follower of Jesus is rooted in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and I am an ordained minister through and by that faith tradition, I have not found a DoC community in my space that aligns with my faith path nor a common understanding of God at work in the world. After 5 1/2 years of solitude (reflecting, grieving, raging, and listening), I have found what I want and need and opportunities to serve in a small Episcopal church here.

What’s crazy is this isn’t my first time in the Episcopal church – I spent 2-3 years at Church of the Resurrection in Garland TX as a child. Some of my most powerful spiritual formative memories come from the Eucharist, the joy and love of the people there, and my sense of belonging and having a place at the table – these foundational memories come from Resurrection in the late 1970s.

So – while some of the ancient language of TGL (The Great Litany) grates a bit (since I might be a Celtic Trinitarian but I definitely see past God as gendered) – the power of 30ish people praying this together brought me to yet another liminal switchback. Of course the sunrise comes at Easter – so that will wait.

Here’s a big part of what I noticed and took in deeply –

• Asking God to have mercy upon us
• Asking God to spare us
• Asking God to deliver us
• Asking God to hear us

Remember Micah 6:8? Walking HUMBLY with our God? Yeah. That.

Is this the lesson of Lent for me this year? That no matter how much education, training, experience, ability to think and problem solve – no matter what, the God I follow and trust is still God and I must let go of my own designs, bow and kneel, and trust the Love I’ve chosen.

This switchback is long – TGL is 5 pages long. Instead of plodding along, I intend to bask in it, taking time to stop and lean in (esp where language trips me up), and listen. Not all switchbacks are awful and this one comes with new sustaining memories of this morning – when my voice melded and became one with others in prayer.

Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.