An Ash Wednesday and Lenten pastoral letter published on March 4, 2021, for st-pauls-philipsburg. Written by Fr. Bob McKay (posted by Kolene Parkes), the letter addresses entering a second consecutive Lent under COVID-19 pandemic restrictions ("exile from our Holy City").

Lenten Disciplines

The letter outlines a three-fold Lenten obligation:

1. Self-Examination & Repentance: Honest self-assessment compared to God's love.
2. Prayer & Fasting: Seeking God's "Way of Love," utilizing resources like the 50 Day Challenge and Forward Day by Day.
3. Scripture & Meditation: Prioritizing spiritual reading. Fr. McKay discusses reading Caste by Isabel Wilkerson, reflecting on his 20 years of leadership with the DuBois Food Pantry, and challenging the self-identification of "White" as a mechanism of social control and hierarchy in America.

Services

Ash Wednesday services (imposition of ashes and Holy Communion) were held at the St. Paul's Church Porch entrance on 4th Street.