March Madness for Missions: Making a Difference

The Lenten season is underway. Giving up or giving away something has been a part of the practices associated with this liturgical time of the church calendar. Therefore, I am challenging us, as members and friends of Hope United Church of Christ, to make a difference this entire month as we March Madness for Missions. Here is how the challenge will work:

  • Try to do something each day: prayer, giving up something, giving away something, doing something for another
  • The activity you choose can be for an individual (members of your own family count), local or global organization; simple or more complex
  • Be creative
  • Keep track of your work and efforts and let me know the things you are doing and how much time you have devoted to your “marching” efforts

I challenge us to be able to reach a goal of 1000 acts of mission throughout the month of March, which is why I need to you keep track of your efforts and to let me know what you are doing to be a part of our work this Lenten season.

Each week in the Mid-week News and announcements (in the email blast sharing news about our worship service) I will list some ideas that hopefully will spark your own imagination on how you and/or your family might help us reach our goal.

Let us be attentive to how we are already making a difference in our family, our schools, our communities, our church, and beyond. Let us stretch ourselves to make this practice of our Lenten season. Let us work individually and collectively to be the church and transform where we are through acts of love and kindness, generosity and grace, fun and delight.

Here’s this week’s March Madness for Mission ideas:

  • Send a card to someone you miss seeing regularly; someone you would be sitting next to in worship; a friend you have not connected with recently.
  • Pray for the leaders of our community, our country and the world.
  • Call someone in your neighborhood to check-in to see how they are doing.
  • Donate the money you would have spent eating out this week to your favorite charity or to a local food bank.
  • Get ready for spring by cleaning out your closet and donating one bag of items you no longer wear.