Community Lenten Worship

Main Street United Methodist Church will join churches from across the Alton area in hosting the annual Community Lenten Services, sponsored by the Alton Area Church Women United (CWU). These midweek services offer a meaningful opportunity for prayer, reflection, and fellowship during the season of Lent. The series begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18 and runs through Good Friday. with Main Street UMC serving as the host church for the opening service. 

Each service begins promptly at 12:00 noon and lasts 30 minutes, making it easy to attend during a lunch break. Following worship, participants are invited to stay for a simple soup luncheon, hosted by the church providing the space that week. Lunch is offered for a modest cost and includes soup, a sandwich, dessert, and a drink. A free-will offering, supporting local community ministries, is also collected at each service.

A distinctive feature of this long-standing ecumenical tradition is that a different church hosts each week, while the guest preacher comes from another congregation. This shared approach highlights the unity of the Christian community in the Alton area and allows worshipers to hear a variety of voices and perspectives throughout Lent.

Pastor Nick Gleason of Main Street UMC will serve as the guest speaker during the third week of the series, on Wednesday, March 4, when the service is hosted at Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church. In this way, Pastor Gleason participates alongside fellow clergy from across denominations.

All are welcome to attend any or all of the services in the series. Whether you come for a single Wednesday (or Good Friday) or make it a weekly Lenten practice, this shared time of worship and table fellowship offers a meaningful way to prepare heart and spirit for Easter.