Tonight at six we celebrate Shrove Tuesday.  The men of OSLC
are cooking pancakes for us–and all are invited.

Shrove Tuesday has to do with the notion that one’s life is marked differently
in the season of Lent than at other seasons of the church year.  We “keep” Lent
rather than celebrate it.  We keep the traditional practices of Lent which are
almsgiving, fasting and prayer.

Today is traditionally the day then to celebrate the gifts of rich foods.  Butter
and maple syrup and eggs and cream and so on.  Hence, our enjoyment of pancakes.
Not to mention of each other.  Though we won’t do what is done in some parts
of Germany, such as women cutting off a man’s tie….

So come and take pleasure in wonderful RICH pancakes and enjoy the presence of
the OSLC community.  But we ask you–as your pastors–to come to both the celebration
of Shrove Tuesday AND the Ash Wednesday service, when we formally begin our Lenten
journey.  Don’t choose Shrove Tuesday over Ash Wednesday.  Shrove Tuesday has
meaning only because of Ash Wednesday; not the other way around.

See you this evening, looking forward to pancakes with lots of butter and syrup!

Pr. Michael Thomas

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