At the 10am service on Sunday, I suggested a few things that people might do during Lent. Here are some details if you want to follow any up:
Read . . .
The Bible! Our gospel readings this year are drawn from Marks’ gospel. It’s the shortest of the gospels, so why not try reading it in one go?
Lent books: There’s a huge choice.
• ‘Living His Story’ by Revd Dr Hannah Steele: The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book 2021
• ‘Saying Yes to Life’ by Ruth Valerio: the 2020 Lent Book. Considers the impact we’re having on creation and offers a Christian response. I didn’t get very far into it last year so plan to give it another go. (Ask me how I’m getting on!)
• ‘The Heart’s Time’ by Janet Morley: a poem a day for Lent and Easter. A book I return to year after year.
Listen . . .
Daily Service: a 15-min service broadcast on Radio 4 at 9.45am Mon-Fri. Listen live on DAB or catch up via the Daily Service web page (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wzfs)
Led by people from various Christian backgrounds it offers a short reflection with a Bible reading, prayer and music. It’s helped to keep me anchored, spiritually, over many years.
Church Times podcast: church news, interviews with authors, Christians in politics, clerics, and commentators on faith (https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/audio-video/podcast)
If you search around you’ll find podcasts from Cathedrals, Theological Colleges and Christian organisations. Also . . .
Theatre Chaplaincy UK (TCUK) is offering “Words for the Wilderness (Soft Words for Hard Times) every Wed during Lent in a video on its YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCspsJy-7wpY1jIui8yoKS4A) Well-known actors read a poem that reflect the themes of Lent. Week 1: Samantha Bond read “Lent” by Jean M Watt
Take something on . . .
There are lots of resources available. But be gentle on yourself!
Live Lent: God’s Story Our Story: a book by Stephen Hance with an accompanying app. Produced by the C of E for this Lent to encourage us to reflect on our own faith story and how we might share it (https://www.churchofengland.org/resources/)
Making Space for Reflection: Diocese of Lichfield Lent resource. Suggests Bible passages, questions for reflection and further resources on 6 themes https://www.lichfield.anglican.org/our-faith/lent-2021/lent-2021.php
Holy Habits: online course produced by BRF for churches or groups to encourage the practice of ten disciplines, or holy habits (https://www.holyhabits.org.uk/)
Online course produced by 24-7 Prayer exploring the challenges of unanswered prayer (https://prayercourse.org/)
Look . . .
Take notice of things that lift the spirits – green shoots, spring flowers, lengthening days, helpful encounters, kind gestures . . .
I do hope you’ll find something that works for you. Rev. Cathy Dakin