The Christian Education Committee of ELPC, with the help of the Worship Music & the Arts Committee, the Pastoral Staff and the Program Staff, are excited to be offering devotional material for Lent in a new format … blog posts. Our prayer is that the material posted here will be an invitation to prayer and reflection throughout this Lenten season.The Lenten Devotional blog posts in the coming weeks are meant for personal, family and small group spiritual engagement that will connect the practices of prayer, reflection and discussion with our life in worship together.
Each week in worship, the Pastors’ sermons will explore themes generated by the content and history of African American Spirituals, each paired with a companioning Biblical text. Throughout Lent, Spirituals will be sung and performed in worship during the 11 AM Sanctuary Service, tying in to the message each week.
The legacy of Spirituals has served a powerful witness to God’s liberating and redemptive work in the midst of great suffering. Spirituals emerged from within the African American community, as men and women who were enslaved gave voice to their faith and hope in a liberating and present God through song. Musically, many spirituals reflect a clear connection to African music. Lyrically, Spirituals point to the courage, lament, hope and faithfulness of a people on a journey from oppression to freedom. Universally, Spirituals both lead us to the cross and the empty tomb, while giving voice to the ongoing human experience of suffering, redemption and hope.
In anticipation of each Sunday, a blog post will be featured here that will offer a preview of a selected piece that will appear in worship, information about the history of each Spiritual, and information about the arrangement featured.
On Sunday the week’s lyrics, scripture and reflection questions and activites will be posted. A live recording of the Spirituals performed by the ELPC Chancel Choir in worship will appear here early in the week. Please also note that Pastor’s sermons – in written and audio formats – can be found here on the ELPC website each week. Printed devotionals will also be available at the church.