DEAR MENLO CHURCH,

Lent has a feel for those of us who grew up in liturgical traditions. I can still feel the ashes on my forehead, the ashen cross a sign of embarrassment as a school kid, a sign of a faithful outlier as an adult follower of Jesus. The tradition of giving up something, usually meals or extras, is something we notice but intended to stay private. During Lent, sermons felt more somber, and whether it was the weather or the act of sacrifice, the Lenten season felt darker. Then the focus on the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins culminated in Holy Week. While the feeling of Holy Week is one of joy, it is marked by many special, quieter services.

Some of those rituals were good for me. I learned more than I understood at the time. Other traditions served as signs of faith, whether seeing a senator on a plane with ashes on his forehead or hearing a mother explain to her kids why there were no donuts at church. But if I’m honest, as a kid it often became a game to see how we could work around the Lenten rules, as when I joked with a friend that I gave up tequila because I don’t drink tequila. So, it seems our underlying Lenten attitude is at least as important as what we give up.

One of the recurring themes of the gospel is our call to sacrifice and serve others. In turn, we find that we are all enriched.

A great example of our community experiencing life-giving sacrifice is the 3rd Annual Run for Hope on the weekend of March 19-20, when each campus will bring its unique flair to the event. We encourage you to participate with your campus or walk or run on your own that weekend. For each person who participates, Menlo Church will give $25 toward supporting our local first responders up to a total of $125k. This event allows us to share our blessings, support our community’s first responders, bring us together as a community, and display the unity and diversity of the Body of Christ in the Bay Area! I hope we’ll see you there… so that it’s a ‘living sacrifice’ and more than another religious ritual… Blessings!!

In prayer,

John Crosby

Transitional Pastor

CELEBRATE HOLY WEEK AND EASTER WITH US

Reflect on the life and mission of Jesus during our Holy Week services leading up to Easter. Then join us on Sunday to celebrate the resurrection with uplifting worship, great community, and an inspiring message. Remember to invite your friends! DETAILS

EASTER OFFERING: SUPPORT REFUGEES

Your gifts to the Easter Offering will support Afghans and Ukrainians who have had to flee their homes this past year. Your donations will support organizations who are helping Ukrainian refugees now and long-term, as well as providing housing support for Afghan refugees arriving in the Bay Area. GIVE NOW

BE A PART OF MAKING EASTER SPECIAL

Serve with one of our Sunday morning teams to welcome our community on Easter morning. Opportunities include greeting people around campus, serving in Kids Ministry, helping with refreshments, and more. GET INVOLVED

ARE YOU READY TO BE BAPTIZED?

If you’ve recently become a follower of Jesus but have never been baptized, we’d love to celebrate that step with you through baptism on May 15! Baptism is an outward affirmation of a person’s inner faith in Jesus Christ and is a sign of God’s grace as part of the church. LEARN MORE