2026 Women’s Community Lenten Series: “God in the Ordinary”
By - Tami Qualls, First Christian Church, Galesburg
We are hoping for a big turnout of women for the upcoming 2026 Women’s Community Lenten Series: “God in the Ordinary.” Meeting at First Christian Church on the corner of North and Broad Streets, Galesburg, this gathering is open for any woman to attend. We meet from 9:30-11:00 AM each Wednesday of Lent starting on February 18th, Ash Wednesday through March 25th, 2026. This six week focus on Christ’s great gift to us through his life, death, and resurrection will take us up to Holy Week.
Mark your calendars because you won’t want to miss the engaging speakers that we have from a variety of local churches. Each service is organized the same way with a welcome, a few hymns and then different women representing their churches who are involved by lighting the candles of Lent as well as a Community Prayer Time. Finally, we will have a special music selection and a message given to us by various talented speakers. We will then close with a postlude followed by a time of fellowship and refreshments.
Our remaining speakers for the Women’s Lenten Series this year are:
March 11th: Sue Welty, Bethel Baptist Church
March 18th: Toni Mudd, The Ascent
March 25th: Tami Qualls, Galesburg Nazarene
Our theme verse is: John 16:25-28
“Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
Each message from our speakers focuses on an ordinary object and how God can use this item as a figurative example to speak to us. Just like God sent His Son Jesus Christ in the flesh as an example of His perfect love for us. There are messages all around us from sunsets to flowers, from pets to people. God speaks to us all the time.
Some people might wonder how this event got started. The history of The Women’s Community Lenten Series can be documented to go back to earlier than 1989. This tradition of women gathering together from various churches into one community worship form is over 37 years old. It started out under the auspices of a national organization that had a Galesburg chapter of Church Women United, an organization that served the community in various ways as well as met together for Bible study. They recently disbanded in the fall of 2025 with their final contribution of a donation to the Central Congregational Church for restoration. Challenging others to match that donation. This group was led by 93 year old Kathleen Geeseman who I met with at Seminary Manor. She can’t remember when it started, but it was a long time ago! Reverend Marilyn Annel, from First United Methodist Church took over leading the Women’s Community Lenten Series in 1989-2004. Pastor Martha-Jean Fitch then led at the First Christian Church from 2005-2025. Pastor MJ asked if I would be interested in taking over after she retired in 2025. I said yes. So, I thought it would be fitting that she would be the first speaker and I would be the last speaker, a form of passing the baton or a changing of the guard. I am very honored to carry on this ecumenical, historical gathering of women for one cause, to draw near to God and to honor Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. We are hoping for a great turnout each Wednesday morning from 9:30-11:00 AM at the First Christian Church. We always conclude our time together with talking and refreshments. So come join us in our celebration and if you can’t make it. We live stream it so you can watch it later on the First Christian Church’s Facebook account.
Please join us as we draw away from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on Jesus’s walk to the cross and ultimately to His resurrection. Let us abide for a moment at His feet to study and glorify God as a group of women united in our belief.