Lent begins this week with Ash Wednesday – 40 days that give us time to reflect, pray in this other waiting season that is in some ways a companion to Advent. We take Jesus’ journey in the wilderness, all the way to Holy Week and the cross, and then beyond, to the joy of resurrection at Easter.
There are many ways to mark the time of Lent. Many people choose to give up something during Lent – chocolate, or social media, for instance. You may wish to take something on – a service project, or a new discipline of prayer, healthier eating, physical or spiritual exercise, meditation.
We’ve compiled a list of resources below, and we’ll add more to it – and we welcome your suggestions – e mail to Rev. Cara! Join us on Sunday mornings between services when we offer classes for all ages – and on Sunday evenings at 5:00 p.m. for our first ever Dinner Church! Our small groups are also observing Lent – you can find devotionals and books below that they are adopting.
FROM OUR DIOCESE
A Lenten Journey: Towards Becoming Beloved Community, Tuesday Nights via Zoom
Lent and Easter: An Activities Book for Families with Children Ages 3-10, by Pattie Ames, DIOSWVA Canon for Christian Formation
AT TRINITY
The Living Compass: Living Well Through Lent (adult Sunday School, Sunday mornings at 9:15)
Will You? A Lenten Study of Baptismal Promises, Amanda Perkins McGriff (Women of Faith, Wednesday mornings, gathering at 10:30 and discussion at 11:00)
The Fractured Kingdom: Uniting Modern Christianity through the Historical Jesus, Jean-Pierre Isbouts (Men’s Bible Study, Wednesday mornings at 7:30)
Illustrated Ministry’s God is Still with Us (upper elementary classes, Sunday mornings at 9:15)
Christian Contemplative Creation Care: A Lenten Study Group, Tuesday evenings at 5:00, February 20-April 2 (excluding Holy Week)
Gathering at the Table: Dinner Church, Sunday evenings at 5:00 (at Trinity on February 18, March 3 and 17; at Emmanuel February 25 and March 10)
DEVOTIONALS AND MEDITATIONS
Sr. Joan Chittester: Lent 2024: A Summons to Live Anew. Weekly downloadable PDFs with reflections, scripture, poetry and prompts for reflection, from the first Sunday of Lent through Easter.
Episcopal Relief and Development’s 2024 Lenten Meditations: Create in me a clean heart, O God (downloads and daily e mails)
In the Midst: Lent offering from the brothers of the Society of St. John the Evangelist (SSJE)
The Way of the Cross, from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Catholic)
Lectio Divina from Monasteries of the Heart (log in with free membership required)
Through Thick and Thin: 2024 Devotional for Ash Wednesday through Easter, Beth Sollenberger, from Brethren Press
Watch and Pray app and meditations from the Church of England
Reflections for Lent 2024 from the Church of England
Pilgrim Journeys series from the Church of England
40-Day Journey with Julian of Norwich, ed. Lisa E. Dahill
C.S. Lewis devotional from SALT
Emily Dickinson devotional from SALT
Recommendations from The Upper Room
LENT FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN
Stations of the Cross for Families, from Domestic Church
Stations of the Cross for Children, from Loyola Press
Lent at Home Playlists, from the United Methodist Church’s Lifelong Faith
And even more ideas from a range of church denominations can be found at this page from Practical Resources for Churches!
BOOKS
Reimagining the Ignatian Examen, Mark Thibodeaux, SJ (recommendation from Grace Cathedral, San Francisco)
Online Book Study from Washington National Cathedral: A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent
Roads of Hurt and Hope, Andrew D. Mayes, reviewed here in The Living Church
Make Room: A Child’s Guide to Lent and Easter, Laura Alary
Psalms of Wonder: Poems from the Book of Song (review and Amazon link), Cary Wallace and Khoa Le
The Word in the Wilderness: A Poem a Day for Lent and Easter, Malcolm Guite
Queering Lent, poems by Slats
Book and music recommendations from The Rabbit Room
Book recommendations from the Church House Bookshop
A Truth Universally Acknowledged: 40 Days with Jane Austen, Rachel Mann
Transfiguration: 50 Pilgrim Steps, Rob Marshall
Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day!, Kate Bowler
Where We Meet: A Lenten Study of Systems, Stories and Hope (from The Upper Room)
Jan Richardson’s Painted Prayerbook: Lenten visual art and poetry
From Sojourners: 10 Lent Devotionals and Books that Inspire Faith and Justice
CREATIVITY, ART AND CLASSES
The InstaLent Photo Challenge from Busted Halo
Floriography: A Lenten “Flower Power” Calendar from Salt
Bless this Mess from SALT
Mary Oliver devotional from SALT
The Historical Jesus: The Evolutionary Challenge of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant
DISCIPLINES AND PRACTICES
How to Fast for Lent, from The Table, Indianapolis (recommendation from Grace Cathedral, San Francisco)
The Lenten Cookbook, from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (Catholic)
Laudato Si Lent Calendar: “Listen to the Cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor”
Embodied Lent Prayers from A Sanctified Art
Lenten Prayer Collection from A Sanctified Art
Lent Madness from Forward Movement
Climate + Faith from SALT
Lenten e-courses from Spirituality & Practice
Image credit: Photo by Kamil Szumotalski on Unsplash
