A tradition for some area churches and Christians is occurring again, including today and in coming weeks. That tradition is the annual Lenten Luncheon series.

This year, the Lenten Luncheon series takes place at First Baptist Church in Washington. The hour-long event begins with a 30-minute worship service in the church’s sanctuary followed by a soup-and-sandwich meal in the church’s Family Life Center. The Lenten Luncheons, which begin at noon, are scheduled for today, March 7, March 14 and March 21.

Ministers from area churches will lead the worship services. Each week, a different church will provide the soup and sandwiches.

The Rev. Joshua Yoder from Christ Church (Anglican) leads today’s service. The Rev. Ken Hall from Washington’s First United Methodist Church will lead the March 7 service. The Rev. Jacob W. Kines Jr. From First Christian Church of Washington will lead the March 14 service. The Rev. Lee Kinney from Washington’s First Presbyterian Church will lead the March 21 service. In recent years, attendance at each event has averaged about 100 people.

The Rev. Greg Barmer, senior pastor at First Baptist Church, believes the Lenten Luncheon series helps prepare Christians for the upcoming Easter observance.

“I think the intentional preparation that we go through and stopping our business and understanding the significance of Lent and preparation for the Resurrection is important. We love to go from celebration to celebration without stopping to dwell on the significance of our sin, of our failures and of Christ’s sacrifice because of that. This series helps us do that as a community,” Barmer said.

The Lenten season is 40 days (traditionally), not counting Sundays, and a solemn observance in the liturgical year of many Christian denominations. Different denominations calculate Lent by various methods. Lent leads up to Easter Sunday. The purpose of Lent is to prepare Christians for Easter through prayer, penance, repentance, self-denial and alms-giving.

In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent and concludes Maundy Thursday.