In March, we enter the season of Lent—one of my favorite times of the year. Lent marks a 40-day journey, beginning on Ash Wednesday, when Jesus sets his sights on Jerusalem, leading to the cross on Good Friday, and culminating in the resurrection on Easter Sunday. Traditionally, churches observe Lent as a season of reflection and repentance. While much of the Gospel calls us to look beyond ourselves—to the marginalized, overlooked, and neglected—Lent invites us to turn inward, examining the neglected and forgotten places within our own hearts, souls, and minds.

This year, I am following a Lenten series by Sanctified Art that aligns with the Narrative Lectionary’s focus on the Gospel of Luke. Titled “Everything in Between: Finding God in the Midst of Extremes”, the series resonates deeply with our times. It does not seek to find a middle ground between opposing realities like grief and hope or faith and works. Instead, it invites us to embrace paradox—to live in the tension of both/and rather than settling for the simplicity of either/or. As the Sanctified Art creative team describes it: “This year, we’re letting the Gospel of Luke guide us through Lent. Beginning with Jesus setting his face toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51), this worship series flows through several familiar stories—the Good Samaritan, Mary and Martha, the fruitless fig tree, the Lost Sheep, Zacchaeus, and more. Many of these stories are well-known in both sacred and secular imagination and hold significance in pop culture, church history, politics, and everything in between. As we studied these scriptures, we were struck by how Jesus’ ministry disrupted the established social, political, and religious divides of his time. Jesus intentionally pointed out cultural and political extremes to emphasize the radical, inclusive, and surprising love of God. When we study these stories in their historical and cultural context, we see how they mirror the divisions many of us experience in our families, churches, and communities today. Our theme, “Everything In Between,” invites us to navigate the polarities in our lives with more faith, intention, and openness to be transformed. You will see that each weekly sub-theme explores two supposed binaries, like “faith & works” or “rest & growth,” or “grief & hope.”

We often consider these ideas to be opposing. However, as we explore these concepts within the scriptures, we find nuance and complexity. We find that these dichotomies are false. We might begin to see a full spectrum instead of black and white. We might find that God is present in between. And so, this season, we invite you to look beyond black and white binaries and easy answers. We encourage you to notice the dichotomies that define our lives, but also imagine where God might be meeting us beyond the categories we create. This Lent, we're trusting that God shows up in shades of gray, rainbow hues, and everywhere in between.

Born and raised in Tulsa and a graduate of Broken Arrow High School, Kaycee Logsdon was heavily involved in music, participating in concert and show choirs, jazz and concert bands, orchestras, and The Pride of Broken Arrow. Kaycee received her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Central Missouri and her Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Texas Tech University. She is an accomplished choral musician, having performed on some of the world’s largest stages, from Carnegie Hall to Westminster Abbey, and has sung professionally with ensembles in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, New York, and Connecticut. Currently, Kaycee is working toward her Doctor of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting at the University of Oklahoma, with a special emphasis in Sacred Music.

She has been professionally involved in church music for over two decades. She is currently a member of the American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, Sigma Alpha Iota, Phi Sigma Pi, Sigma Alpha Pi, and Tau Beta Sigma.

When not singing or conducting, she enjoys petting dogs of all breeds and sizes and loves pub trivia and attending Tulsa Oktoberfest.

Attendees of this years Lenten Fair were able to look at seven different faith practices to potentially try this year. Lent is a great opportunity to slow down and look inside our own spirits. We were grateful for the opportunity to mindfully gather together as a church again this year. If you were not able to attend the Lenten Fair, we encourage you to try some new faith practices that could help deepen your own spiritual connection.

The youth had a great time serving our community last month by helping CCFI (Center for Children and Families) deep clean the after school program rooms. They cleaned windows, mopped floors and scrubbed walls! The program does regular cleaning but they were so excited to have volunteers come and help undertake some of the more tedious tasks, which can be time consuming. What an amazing group of young people we have been blessed with at NorthHaven Church. If you are interested in learning more about upcoming youth events contact Pamela!

March 2: Joanie Abbott
March 4: Rita Ryan
March 6: Delaney Martin
March 7: Leslie Bumgarner
March 10: Brian Krause
March 11: Harold Brooks
March 19: Wendy Foreman
March 20: Kyle Yount
March 22: Kristen Moore