Tues., Feb. 17 | 5:30-6:30 PM | Fellowship Hall at GUCC
Join us for a special pancake supper on Shrove Tuesday in Fellowship Hall. Sign-up sheets to help out with the event are available in the Fellowship Hall pass-through.
About Shrove Tuesday:
At Greensboro United Church of Christ, we observe Shrove Tuesday for a variety of reasons. It reminds us that the season of lent and the journey to Holy Week and Easter is about to begin. Being Vermonters, we look forward to sharing Maple syrup, butter, and pancakes with our neighbors. Marking the day also acknowledges our kinship with a broader community of Christ followers. No doubt our Puritan forebears, who were not big fans of celebrating Christmas and Easter, would frown on the excessive joy we find in sharing pancakes with one another on Shrove Tuesday. As John Winthrop once wrote, ”They for whom all days are holy can have no holiday.” Nevertheless, Shrove Tuesday is a celebration of hospitality and inclusivity for us.
Historically, Shrove Tuesday is the final day of Shrovetide, a three-day season immediately preceding Ash Wednesday and the beginning of lent. It is sometimes referred to as pancake Tuesday, Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday. Functionally, it served to empty the pantry of rich foods that were not permitted during the traditional Lenten fast.
Originating in the Middle Ages, Shrovetide, consisting of shrove Sunday, Collop Monday, and Shrove Tuesday, was the time of introspection and confession in preparation for Lent. Traditionally, it is more likely to be observed in Catholic, Anglican, Episcopal, and Lutheran congregations. But today one can find folks eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday in a variety of places.