Pioneer – Peace United Methodist Church

A memorial service for Millie Wise is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday at Peace Church.

May Mechtel is expected to return to her home today and enter into hospice care.

Betty Lundeen is recovering at their winter home from a heart attack.  Her address is

8701 South Kolb Rd., #4-204, Tucson, AZ  85706

From  Barbara Mundis

 Heather’s Father, Dr. Neal Thorpe, passed away this morning after being in home Hospice care since late December.  Thankfully his final hours were peaceful and pain free.  The final moments were again, thankfully, peaceful and not labored.  Heather, her Mother and both of her siblings were together at the time of his death. 
 
The funeral will be on March 13th in Vancouver, WA. 
 
Thanks so much to everyone who has shown their support over the last few months as our family went through this difficult period.  Even though there were times when we didn’t have time to respond to calls, emails and messages, we so much appreciated every single one of them. 
 
Peace,
Barbara

READING ISAIAH IN THE SEASON OF LENT

By John Indermark

Isaiah provides focus passages on two weeks for this season (March 7 and March 21). The readings for Palm/Passion Sunday and Easter also include texts from Isaiah. So what do these readings bring to our understanding of Lent? How might they help us to see Jesus entry into Jerusalem in new ways?

All of the Lenten passages from Isaiah come from the latter half of Isaiah (chapters 40 onwards). Scholars believe this portion of Isaiah arose out of Israels experience of exile in Babylon. Those in exile knew great sadness that challenged any sense of hope. The future would have been viewed with great uncertainty. Yet Isaiah brought into that situation remarkable words of hope. Hope for Isaiah was mainly envisioned as homecoming. To make such a return possible, Isaiah drew on the imagery of creation and exodus to assert Gods power to overcome the deadening situation of exile. Isaiah also took great care to indicate that Gods judgment seen in exile was now to be reversed by reconciliation initiated and brought about by God.

Consider those same themes in Isaiah as they relate to the Season of Lent. Lent is all about the journey to Jerusalem by Jesus and the disciples. Recall the gospel passages in the Season of Christmas that located the beginnings of Jesus life in Jerusalem. Homecoming belongs to the narrative of Lent in Jesus journey to Jerusalem. The challenges to hope on that journey loomed large. Rome occupied Judah, imposing a sort of exile at home. Jesus faced opposition from some religious leaders. But Lent narrates how Jesus faced those challenges with teachings and ministry aimed at reconciliation. With Isaiah, Lent affirms in its final movements through Holy Week that Gods power to overcome deadening situations promises a new creation and a new act of deliverance.

Most of Lents gospel passages for this year come from Luke. So it is important to note links between Isaiah and Luke. Both books emphasize the role and working of Gods Spirit. There are more references to Spirit in Isaiah than any other Old Testament book. The journey of Lent, the journey we make through Lent, is one empowered and accompanied by the Spirit of God. Both books emphasize the universal nature of Gods love and justice. Isaiah consistently speaks of covenant in terms that embrace the earths peoples and nations (42:1, 49:6). One of this seasons focus passages from Isaiah opens with a radically gracious invitation for everyone to feast at Gods table (55:1). Luke, for its part, consistently affirms Jesus welcome of outsiders into community, be they Samaritans or prodigals.

The word gospel literally means good news. In those terms, Isaiah serves as another gospel in Lent. The good news of Isaiah is that exile, whether by incarceration in Babylon or crucifixion by Rome, is not the final word. The good news of Isaiah is that hope resides in the power of God. Our basis of hope is trust in God. Isaiah highlights the trust that comes by recalling the old stories of Gods actions in creation and exodus, and then declaring God is about the work of a new creation and deliverance. Lent draws out this trust by inviting us to enter the stories of Gods actions in and through Jesus, and then following the way taught and revealed by Jesus.

John Indermark is a frequent contributor to Seasons of the Spirit and the author of numerous books. His most recent book is Gospeled Lives which is published by The Upper Room.

Pastor Hugh Stephenson
Peace United Methodist Church
Church telephone 651-484-2226 Ext. 11
Mobile telephone 651-398-7092
E-mail hugh@peaceumc.com
Get the latest news from Peace at
peaceumc.com/pioneer

Tags: Easter, funeral, News