2026.03.05 e-news

"And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."  - John 3:14-15 

Jesus is talking to Nicodemus in the middle of the night. Jesus is trying to help Nicodemus understand something that doesn't make sense yet. He reaches back to an old, strange story from the wilderness when the bronze serpent lifted high on a pole. 

The Israelites were dying from snakebites, and God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and lift it up. Anyone who looked at it would live. It wasn't magic. It was trust. It was the willingness to look up, to believe that life could come from the most unexpected place. 

Jesus says: that's what's coming. The Son of Man will be lifted up, on a cross, in shame, in suffering, and somehow, impossibly, that will be the place where life breaks through. 

We are still learning to look up. We're still learning that God's ways of bringing life don't always look like we expect. Sometimes healing comes through acknowledging our wounds. Sometimes freedom comes through surrender. Sometimes resurrection requires a tomb. 

Lent is underway. We walk toward the cross together. And when we get there, we will do what the Israelites did in the wilderness: we will look up. We willl trust that even in what looks like death, God is making a way for life. 

Practice for the week:  Each day this week, find a moment to physically look up; at the sky, the ceiling, a tree, whatever is above you. In that moment of looking up, practice releasing one thing you are trying to control. 

Breathe it out. 
Trust that God is holding what you cannot. 
Notice what it feels like to let your gaze (and your grip) lift. 

Peace to you on the journey, , Pastor Erin

Check out the Weekly Bulletin to see the full schedule of what’s happening at TLC this week!

Please join us for Adult Forum every Sunday from 10:20am to 10:50am in the Garden Room.

This Sunday's topic:
Sleep and Your Health, presented by Karen Jensen, RN, PhD

Time to Spring Forward!
Don't forget that Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday, March 8. Please remember to set your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed on Saturday night. 

We invite you to join us for worship and fellowship throughout the season of Lent as we gather for reflection, prayer, and community.

Wednesdays – February 25 through March 25
12:30pm Worship Service
5:45pm Lenten Soup Supper
6:30pm Worship Service

Please join us for a Parent Stakeholder Meeting on March 15 in the Garden Room. We’ll gather immediately following the 9:00am worship service to share our hopes, dreams, and expectations for the future of our Youth and Family Ministry.

Please join us for the next Young at Heart Luncheon on March 19 at noon! The sign-up sheet can be found on the Welcome Desk.

Join us as we walk through the story of Jesus’ final days, from Palm Sunday to the joy of Easter morning.

Sunday, March 29
9:00am – Palm Sunday Worship
11:00am – Palm Sunday Worship
Thursday, April 2
6:30pm – Maundy Thursday Service
Friday, April 3
Noon–3:00pm – Stations of the Cross
6:30pm – Good Friday Service
Saturday, April 4
7:20pm – Easter Vigil
Sunday, April 5
6:30am – Easter Sunrise Service (at the beach)
9:00am – Easter Sunday Worship
11:00am – Easter Sunday Worship

Are you thinking about making TLC your church home?  Join us for our New Member Reception on April 19 — a relaxed time to learn more about who we are, ask questions, and explore what membership means.

If you’d like more details, feel free to contact the church office. We’re always happy to chat and share more about life at TLC.

Stop by the Gathering Space to see our vision for the future! We have a display board featuring the new paint colors for the church. If you would like to support this enhancement, please mark your donation 'Painting Project.

Mark your calendars! TLC’s Vacation Bible School is returning this summer from July 20–24. We are so excited just anticipating seeing you there.

• Sandy, mother of Kim Kinney