As you prepare to enter Lent, we invite you to consider how to deepen your faith life in coming weeks. Below are ideas for how to do that, inspired by this year's theme, "Wandering Heart: Figuring out faith with Peter."

Like many of us, Peter has a wandering heart. His journey is not polished, or linear, or perfect, but he is always tethered to the love of God. When you look closely at Peter’s story, you find Jesus at each step along the way—offering him abundance, catching him when he begins to sink, challenging him when he stands in the way, washing his feet, predicting his betrayal, and offering him agape love.

This Lent, we’re joining Peter in figuring out faith.

We’re not idolizing or vilifying him; instead, we’re hoping to wander alongside him, open to what we might learn about Jesus (and ourselves) by stepping in Peter’s shoes.

OFFERINGS

WORSHIP

February 14

Ash Wednesday

6:00 p.m. potluck (soup, salad, or bread)

7:00 p.m. worship with imposition of ashes

PSALM 51:1-17

As we begin the season, let us turn inward and tune our hearts. Before an orchestra plays together, they must all tune their instruments— the cacophony of this process may be very loud and create lots of dissonance, but it’s a necessary step in the process of creating harmonies and melodies. And so, this Lent, how can you tune the instrument of your heart so that it aligns with God?

February 18

First Sunday in Lent

Jesus sought me

11:00 a.m. Worship

LUKE 5:1-11 | PSALM 25:1-10

Jesus doesn’t seek out trained rabbis to be his disciples; instead, he calls a few Galilean fishermen to follow him and join his ministry. In this story, Jesus tells Simon Peter to drop his nets one more time, even though they’ve been fishing all night long and have caught nothing. To their surprise, they haul in nets bursting with fish. In response to this abundant miracle, Peter says, “Go away from me, Lord!” And yet, Peter and his partners drop their nets and follow Jesus. What is the beginning of your faith story? When has God sought you out? Have you ever felt like your calling was pursuing—or chasing—you? Did you resist? Did you follow?

February 25

Second Sunday in Lent

Rescue me from danger

11:00 a.m. Worship

MATTHEW 14:22-33 | PSALM 22:23-31

As a new disciple, perhaps Peter wants to prove himself. Boldly, in the middle of a storm, Peter steps out of the boat to join Jesus who is walking on top of the waves. He, too, walks on water until the wind shakes his trust and he begins to sink. Many of us know what it feels like to be thrown off balance, to feel as if we’re sinking. Maybe this looks like doubt, unexpected change, too-busy seasons of life, devastating grief, or distance from God. In this story, we empathize with the desperation Peter feels as he cries out, and we pray for God to save us when we sink.

March 3

Third Sunday in Lent

Praise the mount

11:00 a.m. Worship with Communion

MATTHEW 16:13-20 | PSALM 19

“Praise the mount of God’s unchanging love. . . ” This lyric represents Peter’s mountaintop faith moment. It speaks to spiritual euphoria and feeling the closeness of God. In this story, Peter proclaims who Jesus is. He speaks with conviction. Peter claims his faith. If you had to speak your faith in one sentence or phrase, what would you say? When we have the courage to say, “This, I believe…” then that conviction has a ripple effect on others. When life gets rocky, we lean on mountain top moments and our deepest convictions to see us through.

March 10

Fourth Sunday in Lent

I'm fixed upon it

11:00 a.m. Worship

 MATTHEW 16:21-23 | PSALM 107:1-3, 17-22

When your world unravels and your beliefs are tested, you may cling to what you know. As Jesus foretells his death and resurrection, Peter protests. Peter is fixed upon the way he thinks things should go; he resists the pain of what will come. But Jesus is fixed upon his calling and calls Peter out. For everyone, there comes a time when your faith is tested and you will have to face difficult and inconvenient truths. We may want to take the easier path, the path with less pain. We may want to cling to easy or simplistic answers. Instead, what does it look like to welcome complexity? Can you stay fixed upon your convictions while also expanding your perspective?

March 17

Fifth Sunday in Lent

Teach me

11:00 a.m. Worship

 MATTHEW 18:15-22 | PSALM 119:9-16

Peter is often all or nothing, either resisting Jesus or drawing closer to him in earnest. In this scripture, we see a version of Peter who is hungry to learn. His posture is humble and open—he wants to absorb Jesus’ teachings like a wet sponge. He asks a question and might expect a straightforward answer: “How many times should I forgive?” Instead, Jesus’ math is not predictable—it’s infinite. Forgiveness is abundant; grace is not earned. In your own faith, do you find comfort in theological formulas? Do you wish for straightforward answers? Can you let go of black-and-white thinking and instead embrace the infinite colors of grace?

Holy Week

March 24

Palm Sunday

Songs of loudest praise

11:00 a.m. Worship & Palm Parade

JOHN 12:12-16

As Holy week begins, Peter is no longer front and center, and so we imagine he is with the rest of the disciples when Jesus enters Jerusalem on a colt. The disciples are confused as they witness crowds shouting hosannas. When they look back on this experience, they will remember the songs. The singing is surely etched in their memories. As we imagine ourselves in the crowd on this day, may we remember that they are supposed to be praising Caesar, but instead they are shouting for the one entering the city on a donkey. Their singing is subversive, courageous, and contagious. Their praise shows the ripple effect of public displays of praise.

March 28

Maundy Thursday

Dinner with Disciples

Streams of mercy

6:00 p.m. Dinner including worship and communion



JOHN 13:1-20

During the Last Supper, Jesus kneels to wash his disciples’ feet. When he comes to Peter, we see a similar pattern unfold yet again: reluctance then exuberance. Peter initially resits, but then he wholeheartedly submits. We see this duality in Peter often, but do we also see these patterns in ourselves? Peter is named “Cephas,” which means “the rock.” In this story, we imagine that God’s grace reshapes him in the way that water softens the rough edges of stone. When we, like Peter, are reluctant and resistant to receiving love, can we remember that streams of mercy are never ceasing? Will we be reshaped by grace?

March 29

Good Friday

Streams of mercy

7:00 p.m. Music and Art-Based Worship

 MATTHEW 18:15-22 | PSALM 119:9-16

Peter is often all or nothing, either resisting Jesus or drawing closer to him in earnest. In this scripture, we see a version of Peter who is hungry to learn. His posture is humble and open—he wants to absorb Jesus’ teachings like a wet sponge. He asks a question and might expect a straightforward answer: “How many times should I forgive?” Instead, Jesus’ math is not predictable—it’s infinite. Forgiveness is abundant; grace is not earned. In your own faith, do you find comfort in theological formulas? Do you wish for straightforward answers? Can you let go of black-and-white thinking and instead embrace the infinite colors of grace?

March 31

Easter Sunday

And I hope

6:45 a.m. Easter Sunrise Worship

10:00 a.m. Inter-generational Celebration with Egg Hunt

11:00 a.m. Celebration of the Resurrection

 LUKE 24:1-12

We might expect that, after denying Christ, Peter would cower in shame—or perhaps even run away in an attempt to leave his past behind him. Instead, when he hears the news from the women, he doesn’t dismiss them like the other disciples. He gets up and runs to the tomb. When he peers into the empty tomb and sees the linen cloth, he is filled with awe. Even after the biggest failures, even after the worst case scenario has happened, can we run toward hope? Like Peter, will we keep going? Will we keep looking for God in our midst?

April 7

2nd Sunday of Easter

Here's my heart

11:00 a.m. Worship with Communion

 JOHN 21:1-19

Though Peter’s story does not end with the conclusion of the Gospels, we finish our series with Peter’s encounter with the risen Christ. In this final week, we come full circle with Peter. He has dropped his nets, walked on water, professed his faith, been rebuked, received footwashing, denied Jesus, and run to the tomb. And now, Jesus once again meets him at the shoreline where Peter is casting his nets. Jesus offers abundant nourishment and also a new command: “Feed my sheep.” Then he turns to Peter and asks three times, “Do you love me?” It’s as if Jesus says, “Here’s my heart,” which washes over Peter’s three denials like a healing balm. No matter how far we wander, may we entrust our hearts to God. No matter if our faith is strong or weak, what we can give is our love.

SERVE

One Great Hour of Sharing

February 14 - April 7

During Lent, we celebrate that God connects with us through Jesus’ resurrection, and connects us with “those who have least.” One Great Hour of Sharing is the single, largest way that Presbyterians come together to work for a better world by advancing the causes of justice, resilience, and sustainability.

When we give to the One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) offering on Easter Day, we are combining our efforts with those across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to repair peoples’ lives — people who are hurting, broken, oppressed, lost or on the margins of society.

Covington Community Dinner

Saturday, March 2nd

In partnership with First Christian Church in Covington, Lakeside will make and donate food & supplies, and serve a meal to our neighbors in Covington on Saturday, March 2nd. If you have questions about the sign-up, please reach out to Clay Deye, the coordinator of this meal effort. Watch for a signup link.

The Annual Lenten “PB&J Challenge” is back! 

The Emergency Shelter is always in need of sack meals to give out to folks and we want to help: we are challenging households to make 10 sack meals during Lent! Each sack should include a PB&J sandwich and some non-perishable items like chips, fruit cups, granola bars, or other items. You can deliver them yourself to the new Emergency Shelter location - or - we'll deliver these for you on Thursdays February 29th and March 21st if dropped off at church by 11am each of those days. 

Want to make sandwiches with friends? Stay tuned for a day and time for some intergenerational sandwich making.

KRM Refugee Welcome

We have a team ready to welcome another family of refugees. We do not yet know when that family will be identified or arrive, but look forward to turning to the congregation for support when they do!

We hope you will worship, learn and serve with us this Lent!