This week marks the beginning of Lent, and our services will show some subtle changes. Due to our cancellation of Sunday services on 2/15, we were not able to end Epiphany with our usual big round of Alleluias. Now, we have said goodbye to our Alleluias until Easter. Our service on Sunday will begin with the Great Litany, as a penitential marker to the beginning of Lent. The cross in procession will be veiled until Easter. We will be singing the Kyrie or Lord have mercy in place of the Gloria. Also, during Lent, the candles will be extinguished and the dismissal given after a short organ voluntary. We are building in these extra few minutes of silent meditation to think about Jesus during his “forty days and forty nights” and to better prepare us to go back into the world to do God’s work.