I hope everyone has had a blessed New Year's and is looking forward to a blessed Lent. Yes, I know. It's hard to believe that Ash Wednesday is less than a month away on February 22. What I really want to share with you, however, is a longer range opportunity that doesn't come up until November. That's when the next Via de Cristo weekend will be held locally at the Maria Wald Retreat Center, just a few minutes away from Grace beyond Fair View Cemetery on New Holland Ave. For those who may remember, I was a "pilgrim" (first-timer) on a Via de Cristo weekend this past November and came back renewed and reinvigorated in my faith from the wonderful fellowship I'd experienced.

Via de Cristo is the Lutheran expression of the Cursillo movement that was started by a Spanish priest in the aftermath of the Spanish civil war. Cursillo means "little courses" and refers to the series of talks given on the weekend that encapsulate the Christian faith. The weekend attempts to give each participant an experience in Christian community, a vision and an experience of human love and charity that is centered on Jesus Christ. Fundamentally, I would describe it as a very effective way to re-catechize adult Christians with a deeper understanding of a faith that may have grown stale or was never fully formed through traditional Lutheran faith formation practices like Sunday School and Confirmation.

For me, Via de Cristo is part of my vision for Grace Lutheran, a way to get us all on the same page as we set goals for this second decade of the 21st century. One of the most active churches in our area, West Lawn United Methodist Church, has seen over 40% of its membership go through the Methodist expression of Cursillo and has found it to be a major enhancer of its evangelization efforts. There's no cost to you for the weekend; all housing, meals, and instructional materials will be covered. So, free up your calendars now from the evening of Thursday, November 8 through the afternoon of Sunday, November 11, and join me for a weekend of spiritual growth and the making of some wonderful memories. Let me know of your interest, and I'll be happy to give you some more details.

Your pastor and friend,

The Rev. Carl W. Filer


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