Clergy from left, Pastor Mary Ann Hill, Pastor Nicolé Ferry, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired; Associate Priest Lynn Finnegan and Pastor Deb Church. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com

By Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb
ELCA

When I first arrived in Los Alamos in February of 2002, to serve Bethlehem Lutheran Church, the season of Lent was about to start.

[See last week’s column by Pastor Ferry about Lent]. To my utter delight, I learned right away that our Lutheran, Episcopal and Catholic churches (at that time) had a tradition of compiling a daily Lenten devotional for their people and sharing a weekly Lenten Program. This was ecumenical cooperation far beyond any I’d ever seen!

In the places I had served until then (as a Deacon), including San Francisco and two ministry calls in Minnesota, the only sharing among Christian denominations that I had experienced was clergy gathering in ministerial alliances. Ecumenical activities, the actual crossing of denominational lines that separate Christian churches is sadly, truly rare. And yet, it was Jesus’ fervent prayer that his followers would “all be one” (John 17:21).

Although the Ecumenical Lenten tradition in Los Alamos has changed over its several decades, it still thrives to this day. For several years now, the program has been the shared effort of ELCA Lutherans, Episcopalians, United Methodists, PCUSA Presbyterians, and the United Church of Los Alamos (which adds more denominations to the mix: American Baptist, Christian Church/Disciples of Christ, Moravian Church, Reformed Church in America, the United Church of Christ and Presbyterian Church USA, again).

What’s more, this gathering of churches is not your ordinary Lenten Soup Supper.

The weekly Lenten program starts with soup, yes, but it also offers classes and a prayer service. Every Thursday evening at 6 p.m., the program brings lay people together from these six congregations, people who might work together every day or live in the same neighborhoods as each other, but who haven’t necessarily known each other as people of a faith tradition.

The Ecumenical Lenten Program will be held this year on five successive Thursday evenings: Feb. 22, 29, March 7, 14 & 21. The host church is The United Church of Los Alamos, at 2525 Canyon Road. The other five churches officially participating are Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church (BELC), Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church (TOTH), First United Methodist Church (FUMC), White Rock Presbyterian Church (WRPC) and White Rock United Methodist Church (WRUMC). Our neighbors representing the Los Alamos Jewish Center will offer one of the classes each week, as they have done each year since this program began, decades ago.

The clergy of the six churches have chosen for this year’s Lenten theme: “Strengthening Reconciliation for a Life-giving Shared Future.” Classes and homilies will reflect that theme.

Schedule for each of the Thursdays, and list of classes being offered so far:

• 6 P.M. Soup Supper—a different congregation provides soup and bread each week. Nursery Care is provided until 7:30.
• 6:40-7:20 p.m. Classes. Offerings for Adults:
  -FUMC: Philip Ortega & Dr. Alicia Justus “Brene` Brown and Vulnerability”
  -WRMC: Rev. Sean Smith “The Book of Forgiveness” by Desmond & Mpho Tutu
  -TOTH: Rev. Mary Ann Hill “Reconciliation in a Culture of Conflict”
  -Los Alamos Faith & Science Forum: Reconciliation theme
  -L.A. Jewish Center: Reconciliation theme
• Classes for Youth and Children: led by Rev. Laura Loving
• 7:30 p.m. Ecumenical Prayer Service (ending at 8 p.m.) led each week by a different musician and/or congregational choir, with homily or worship leadership from ministers of the six congregations, including David Elton, John Nash, Deb Church, Sean Smith, Nicole Ferry, and Mary Ann Hill.

What a rare blessing this program has been for our community! If we were to move away from Los Alamos, I for one would really miss this annual treat! Every Lent we get to hear each other’s pastors preach, we can learn from each other’s teachers, enjoy other choirs, and we get to visit with one another over a simple meal. Do check this out… Come and see!

Editor’s note: ‘All Shall Be Well’ is a column written by local women clergy including ELCA Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, M.Div., retired (czoebidd@gmail.com); Pastor Nicolé Ferry, Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church (pastornicole@bethluth.com); Associate Priest Lynn Finnegan, The Episcopal Church of the Holy Faith, Santa Fe (rev.lynn@holyfaithchurchsf.org); Pastor Deb Church, White Rock Presbyterian Church (pastor@wrpchurch.com) and The Rev. Mary Ann Hill, Rector, Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church (momaryannhill@gmail.com).