Life Together in the Season of Lent
The season of Lent is both rich and scary. The season is rich because we are invited to dig deep into our faith practices and determine whether we are on the right path to becoming disciples of Jesus Christ. We are encouraged to look at our whole lives and then to lay them alongside the life of Christ and see how we measure up. That is where the scary part comes in.
Being honest with ourselves is a difficult exercise; that’s part of why we need forty days to do it. It takes diligence and discipline and a whole lot of grace to see ourselves as we truly are. In fact, it might be argued that we are incapable of doing this Lenten thing on our own. It is simply beyond our capabilities and certainly beyond our inclinations. The only hope we have is to be gathered up in Jesus. That's why we are so pleased to be able to gather together throughout the Lenten season for worship, study, and prayer together as we draw closer to cross and the love of Jesus.
The season of Lent is a time of reflection and repentance, but this solemn season can be difficult to navigate. We want to help each member of your family find ways to connect to Christ and each other during this season and help you prepare your hearts for the Easter celebration. We're here to help you and your family find your own unique way of navigating this season. Join us in worship and a special Lenten study plus take advantage of our informational video, list of possible devotionals, and our take-home Lent bag! If you would like more information or help please reach out to Pastor Becca!
Devotionals
A great way to deepen your time in Scripture and study during Lent is to use a devotional. Listed below are some we recommend for adults, children, youth, and families.
For Adults
Pauses for Lent by Trevor Hudson
Forty Days of Meditation by Pam Hawkins
Remember Your Death: Memento Mori by Theresa Altheia Noble, FSP
The Desert of Compassion by Rachel M. Srubas
For Families
Faithful Families for Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith
Bitter and Sweet by Tsh Oxenreider
Live Lent at Home by Paige Byrne Shortal
For Children
Make Room by Laura Alary (great for elementary age kids)
What We Do In Lent by Anne E. Kitch (an activity book great for ages 4-7)
For Teens
The devotionals recommended for Adults would also be well suited for most teens. Here are a few other suggestions.
Pick up your family's Lent Bag, filled with activities, devotions, and inspiration to help each member of the family grow in their faith throughout these 40 days. This year the Lent bags include: resurrection eggs, Lent activity book for kids, daily Lent calendar with activities, a recipe to try together, and more!
Our Lenten Study/Devotional this year will be A Jesus-Shaped Life. The entire series can be found in one book where there is a section for each of the 40 days of Lent including a brief scripture reading, a short devotional, and a 1-sentence prayer for the day. We will then meet in Study Groups on Tuesday to reflect on the past week and look forward to the next. The study groups will be led by Pastor Steven each Tuesday at 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM in the Study Room. Books are $15 and can be purchased through the church office, by placing a clearly designated check in the offering plate, or through our online system using the button below. When you purchase your book online, a copy is immediately reserved for you.
We are in need of stuffed Easter eggs for our children's Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday, April 9th. You can bring your stuffed eggs to worship or the church office starting Sunday, March 5th. Please do not stuff the eggs with anything chocolate or anything that might easily melt. Also please, no cash in any of the eggs. If you have any questions please feel free to call the church office at 979-532-1100.
