Lent on York: 6 Weeks of Lunchtime Exploration

(This post is an invitation. Send it to whomever you think may need it.)

This Thursday at Lunchtime, we begin a simple and yet hopefully profound 6 week exploration into a story Jesus told: The Parable of The Prodigal Son. It is a story that is good for Lent, for it speaks about regrets, repentance, recovery and restoration. Only 6 weeks.

• Just 6 weeks during Lent.
• 6 Thursdays before Easter.
• No more than 6 weeks.
• No less than 6 weeks.

We dig for insight into these two verses in Luke's Gospel, describing the bold and awkward activity of Jesus:

Now the tax collectors and 'sinners' were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

Notice the verbs. The sinners Gathered, the Pharisees Muttered and Jesus Welcomed. Right there in those verbs lies the heart of the Christian message. But their application is far reaching. My intention is to make these meetings informative, interactive, and exploratory.

So here are the first two weeks:

>> This Thursday March 5 (1:10-1:45PM)
The Joy of the Father (Luke 15:1-12)
We explore the link between a joyful God and a joyful human being. Many of us know what it is to carry a small and restrictive heart. We know our capacity for fear and judgmentalism. This meeting explores how the Joy of God could enlarge your capacity for joy, speak to your fears, and save you from a judgmental spirit. For Christ's sake.

>> Thursday March 12 (1:10-1:45PM)
The Lure of Distance (Luke 15:13-14)
We explore why the human heart seeks (at times) to run. Many of us travel great distances (physically and emotionally) to avoid responsibility, God and relationships. We will explore why the Lure of Distance is a mirage, and how to return to the life God desires for you. For Christ's sake.

Then keep these dates in mind:

• Thursday March 19 (1:10-1:45PM) - The Limits of Regret
• Thursday March 26 (1:10-1:45PM) - The Power of a Moral Inventory
• Thursday April 2 (1:10-1:45PM) - The Freedom in Confession
• Thursday April 9 (1:10-1:45PM) - The Barriers to Joy

To invite people, please create link to your Blog, or just send them the URL of this post, or use the 'email this' link at the bottom of this post (that little envelope.)

Should be fun. But better still, it will free the heart to live and love like Jesus did.

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Pic on Flickr by atomicity.