A Lenten tradition has been interrupted by concerns for the COVID-19 virus.

Dorothy Braswell, coordinator for the Lenten Fine Arts Series at Church of the Holy Trinity, said the program will not be held this year and will resume in 2022.

“We felt that was pushing it a little too much to deal with that,” she said. “Instead of having the small Friday programs, we will have one big day with a very top-notch program.”

The church, however, will hold several other community programs during Lent, the Rev. Andy Andrews, Holy Trinity’s rector, said.

“Ash Wednesday is a week away and we will have a service at 7:15 (a.m.) and noon (for distribution of ashes),” he said. “We’re also going to have a curbside drive-by at the corner of Monroe and South Street to give ashes.”

Other programs include:

4Lenten Sunrise Healing Eucharist, at 7:15 a.m. Feb. 24, March 3,10, 17 and 24.

“It’s healing service with a Eucharist,” Andrews said. “Healing prayers, intentions on healing ourselves and healing the world. With the Eucharist, it’s about a 30-minute experience on those Wednesday mornings.”

4A Lenten study program entitled, “The Value of Our Woundedness,” from 6-7 p.m. each Wednesday in Lent at the church. The program is based on the book, “The Wounded Healer” by Henri Nouwen.

“Lent is a time of recognizing a lot of things about ourselves and how God takes what we have and redeems it,” Andrews said. “Our wounds (spiritually, emotionally and physically) make us strong, especially after we’ve become enlightened, redeemed, healed.

“A lot of us are ashamed of our wounds, but they’re really something to be valued because that’s where wisdom comes from. Beauty blooms out of suffering,” he said.

Andrews said Nouwen’s book is available at Lorelei Books.

4“Stretch into Lent,” Tuesdays from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the parish hall led by parishioner and yoga instructor Marian Richardson.

4Self-led Stations of the Cross in the church nave.

“Our limits for gathering (for Stations of the Cross) is 75,” Andrews said. “We’re inviting people for individual times to come in or if they want to come in as a small group we welcome that.”

Andrews said plans are still underway for the major concert. A date has not been set, but current plans are to have the program in the church.

“Our church is now allowed to have 50 percent capacity, and Holy Trinity holds 400, so we’re moving in a direction where the doors are opening up slowly more and more,” he said. “We’re going to do it safely with masks on. We hope that one concert is meaningful.”

A long-standing tradition for Church of the Holy Trinity, the Lenten Fine Arts Series offered a variety of different genres of music at the church beginning the first Friday in Lent and going through the season. A Lenten lunch is served at the end of each performance for a small price.

A similar Lenten Arts program was held at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Bovina. The Rev. Elisabeth Malphurs, priest in charge at St. Alban’s, said the program will not be held this year. No substitute programs are planned.

For more information on Church of the Holy Trinity’s programs, or to reserve a time for Stations of the Cross, call the church office at 601-636-0542.