Dear APUMC Family,
Can you guess one of the very first things I was encouraged to read when I became your associate pastor?
Here’s a hint: Judge Hardesty said, “It will help you know us better… know our hearts.”
The answer: last year’s Ashland Place Lenten Devotional.
And Judge was right! As I prayed through those forty reflections, I met a congregation that is honest about struggles and joys, compassionate in heart, open to God’s surprises, and deeply rooted in love for God and neighbor. Page by page, your words revealed a community shaped by prayer, Scripture, and a shared desire to follow Jesus more closely. It was, and still is, a holy gift.
As we look toward Lent 2026, we are preparing to create another Ashland Place Devotional, and we are inviting you to be part of it.
This year’s theme is “Seeking: Honest Questions for Deeper Faith.” Lent is all about leaning into the practice of seeking – joining our hearts in prayer, asking questions, and staying open to whatever God might show us. It is a season that invites us to let go of assumptions and, by God’s grace, see things in a new way. My prayer is that the insights and questions we share invite us to pause, explore honestly, and discover God’s presence more fully in our lives.
Each devotional reflection will include a short meditation and a question for deeper reflection. These questions do not need to have answers. They are simply an invitation to linger, to pray, and to notice where God is already at work in your life – trusting that God meets us not only in what we know (or think we know), but also in what we are still seeking.
We are looking for forty contributors to write one devotional each (one for every day of Lent). You do not need to be a “professional writer.” You need only to be willing to reflect honestly, pray faithfully, and share what God is teaching you. Some of the most meaningful devotionals are simple, personal, and reflective of everyday life and faith.
It is our hope that this resource will reflect our shared life of prayer, curiosity, and trust in God’s presence. If you feel led to offer a devotional reflection, we hope you will sign up! You can do so through the link below as well as through the link that was sent in an email earlier today (additional instructions can also be found there). We are excited to see how God will work through your voices to draw our community deeper into communion with God and one another!
Grace and peace,
Jennifer