Lent at St. George's

Lent is always a special time in the Christian liturgical year.  And at St. George's we do our best to bring the congregation into a long desert.  Remembering Jesus' forty days in the desert, spent in fasting and prayer, we lock away our beloved shiny brass vessels, do away with floral arrangements, wrap the processional cross in burlap, and add stones, sand, and dead sticks to compliment the sanctuary.  Wooden candlesticks flank the toned-down altar, and Holy Communion is served with a wood chalice and paten.  At the very least, these muted tones of the Lenten desert make the abundance of Easter that much more celebratory.