Dear friends and colleagues,

One of the things I've heard over and over in my time as President is the need for discipleship resources - ways of helping people engage with the way of Jesus. We are all doing what we can with what we have! 

As we approach Holy Week, I wanted to share with you a resource that I helped create with my community of faith in case it can help yours. During Lent, we partnered with a local artist and offered a 3-part linocut workshop. The result was 14 linocut prints illustrating the 14 Stations of the Cross, created by participants ranging from 10 to 80 years old, that we turned into an online devotional for Holy Week. Feel free to share it with those who might find it a helpful way to engage with Holy Week.

If you're not familiar with them, the Stations of the Cross depict various moments along Jesus' journey towards the cross. "Why the Stations?" you might wonder. "Isn't life heavy enough?" What I love about the Stations is that they remind us that there's a way we can navigate the suffering and hardship we witness and experience - and God knows there's a lot of it! By dwelling in them, grounded in the conviction that God is with us, our struggles take on a different meaning.

To be clear, this is heavy stuff, and it won't be for everyone! But I hope it can bless those of you who are looking for a way to work through all you're carrying. You're not alone.

CLICK HERE for resource.

Our tendency is often to want to skip straight to Easter. But for now, my invitation is to enter as fully as you can into these days of Holy Week. There, may the Spirit give you everything you need for the journey ahead.

The Rev. Dr. Simon LeSieur
Executive Council President
Pacific Mountain Region