A Message from Pastor Kaji
Dear Church:
We began this Lenten season this week with Ash Wednesday, reflecting on the meaning of our faith—not as a performance but as a practice. We sat with Jesus’ words in Matthew 6: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them.”
That night, I shared a story about my first Ash Wednesday as an ordained minister—how I sought out the ashes, wore them with pride, and found myself confronted with a deeper question: Was this about showing my faith, or living it?
We left that night with a challenge: Lent is not about what’s on your forehead. It’s about what’s happening in your heart. It’s an invitation—a time to draw closer to God through prayer, fasting, and giving in ways that bring transformation.
And now, we move deeper into that invitation.
Looking Ahead: Can These Bones Live?
This Sunday, we turn to Ezekiel 37—to the valley of dry bones, to the question that lingers in every season of struggle:
“Can these bones live?”
It’s a question we ask in the moments when we feel stripped down, hollowed out—when life has drained us dry.
But here’s what God says: I will.
Not I might. Not if you get it all together first. Not if you prove yourself worthy.
I will.
This Sunday, we’ll step into the story of resurrection before resurrection—before the empty tomb, before Easter morning, before anything looks like it’s changing.
We’ll wrestle with what it means to wait on God’s promise before we see it come to life.
As you prepare, I invite you to ask yourself:
• Where in your life do you feel like dry bones?
• What voices are shaping how you see your own resurrection?
• What would it look like to trust that God is already moving, even if you don’t feel it yet?
As we begin this year’s Lenten journey together, I invite you to sit with these questions, pray with them, wrestle with them. Because resurrection isn’t just something we celebrate at Easter. It starts now.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday.
With you on the journey,
Pastor Kaji
SCRIPTURE
Ezekial 37:1-14 (Year C, p. 81):
1 The hand of GOD WHO DWELLS ABOVE THE CHERUBIM came upon me and God brought me out through the Spirit of GOD WHOSE NAME IS HOLY and rested me down in the middle of a particular valley—and it was full of bones. 2 And God brought me over, above them, round and around and look! There were very many in the mouth of the valley and they were very dry. 3 Then God said to me, “Child of earth, can these bones live?” I answered, “Sovereign ALL-KNOWING GOD, you are the one who knows.” 4 Then God said to me, “Prophesy upon these bones and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the ANCIENT OF DAYS. 5 Thus says the Sovereign HOLY GOD to these bones: Look! I will cause spirit-and-breath to enter you all and you all shall come to life. 6 And I will place sinews upon you all and I will make flesh come upon you all, and I will cover you all over with skin and put spirit-and-breath in you all, and you all shall come to life. And you all shall know that I am the WOMB OF LIFE.”
7 So I prophesied just as I had been commanded and there was a sound as I prophesied and look here! Rattling! And the bones came together, each bone to its bone. 8 Then I looked—and look at that!—there were upon them, sinews, and flesh came upon them, and skin covered them up; yet there was no breath-that-is-spirit in them. 9 Then God said to me, “Prophesy to the breath-that-is-spirit, prophesy, earth child, and say to the spirit-that-is-breath: Thus says the Highest, the BREATH OF LIFE: From the four winds-of-breath-and-spirit, come spirit-breath and breathe-spirit upon these who have been slain, that they may come to life.” 10 So I prophesied just as God commanded me and she, the breath-that-is-spirit, came into them and they came to life and stood upon their feet, a vast legion.
11 Then God said to me, “Child of earth and Eve, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They are saying, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is dead; we are utterly cut off.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Highest, the WELLSPRING OF LIFE: I am going to open your graves and I will raise you all up from your graves, my people, and I will bring you all back to the land of Israel.’13 So you all shall know that I am the AUTHOR OF LIFE when I open your graves and raise you all up from your graves my people. 14 And I shall put my breath-that-is-spirit within you all and you shall come to life, and I shall cause you all to rest on your own earth; then you shall know that I, the AUTHOR OF LIFE, have spoken and will act,” says the SOURCE OF LIFE.