note: this is a repost. The original (updated for 2022) post can be found here.
With Lent fast approaching, I realize that it is time to update my resource lists. This is one of several posts on resources for the season that you might find helpful. You can check them all out here. Enjoy.
My Favourite Resources: Old and New
Here is a sampling of ideas from around the world some new, some from previous years, that I find myself revisiting each year.
A good place to start is with this mini Lenten retreat:
- Now check out the resources I have posted on Pinterest for Lent Easter and Pentecost. I add to these regularly so there are always new ideas to look at.
- In 2015, Rachel Held Evans published a great list of 40 ideas for Lent that is still one of my favorites.
- Cabad.org has an excellent outline for a Christian Seder celebration.
- Lent Event: “bringing people together to build peace and beat poverty. Pledge to live simply for the 40 days of Lent and help make a difference for people striving to be free from poverty and injustice.”
- The Episcopal Church has a great section on Lenten Resources.
- Ascetic Life of Motherhood shares Lenten resources from the Orthodox Christian perspective.
- Franciscan Action Network shares a free download called 40 Days; 40 Ways A Guide to a Green Lent.
- Growing a Rule of Life – a very interesting course that encourages us to develop a rule of life as a Lenten discipline. It uses garden metaphors and some fun exercises. I used this a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.
- His Mercy is New offers Praying Psalm 51 for Lent free download prayer cards.
- Godspace writer, Lilly Lewin, also has this excellent resource called Experiential Stations of the Cross.
And, of course, Godspace has several free downloads:
- 40 Ideas for Lent
- Hungering for Life
- Gospel Eyes – Download: Poetry by Jeannie Kendall – new in 2021
- Maundy Thursday Love Feast and Liturgy by St. Andrew’s Episcopal church Seattle
And check out the other resource lists, videos and prayers accessed through our church calendar resource page.
Lent at Home Resources for 2022:
- Mennonite Church USA – Worship Guide download
- St Nicholas Center – Lent in the Home
- Catholic Icing – How To Set Up A Lent Table- Lent Home Altar Ideas
- Building Faith – Lent in a Bag
- Real Life at Home – 50+ Lent Ideas Printable
More resource lists can be found on these websites below:
Looking for A Little Fun During Lent?
- Lent Madness: This looks like fun, 32 saints are placed into a tournament-like single elimination bracket. Each pairing remains open for a set period of time and people vote for their favorite saint. Sixteen saints make it to the Round of the Saintly Sixteen; eight advance to the Round of the Elate Eight; four make it to the Faithful Four; two to the Championship; and the winner is awarded the coveted Golden Halo.
- The Walk to Jerusalem is a fun way to increase physical activity during Lent!
- Chalice Press has their 2018 Lenten materials including this helpful Lenten Colouring Book.
- Another great resource is this: Twenty Reflective Movies for Lent.
Litanies for Lent
I love this series of litanies for Lent and Easter by Fran Pratt:
- Litany for Lent, Week 1 “Temptation”
- Litany for Fat Tuesday
- Litany for Ash Wednesday
- Litany for Lent, Week 2 “Mercy”
- Litany for Lent, Week 3 “Hunger”
- Litany for Lent, Week 4 “Thirst”
- Litany for Lent, Week 5 “Waiting”
- Litany for Palm Sunday, “Fulfillment”
- Litany for Good Friday, “Death”
- Resurrection Sunday: “Life”
Liturgical writers we love
Black liturgies on Instagram and Facebook
Disrupt worship project
John Van De Laar – Sacredise
Need Some Daily or Weekly Reflections?
- Bread for the World always produces wonderful Lenten resources, as well as very helpful information on poverty that challenge us to face the issues of hunger.
- Episcopal Relief and Development devotional focuses on creating economic opportunities and strengthening communities, with a particular focus on empowering women. They are available in both English and Spanish and can be downloaded for free.
- From the Australian Board of Mission: Into the Desert and other Lent resources.
- Another great list of resources that is so rich you can get lost in anglicansonline.org.
- Gaye Boss wrote Wild Hope: Stories for Lent from the Vanishing, where readers can gain insight and lament for the “profound loss of species”.
- From Dust to Triumph: Reflections for a Holy Lent – an inspiring collection of Lenten reflections that you can read online.
- Also, from the Uniting Church Australia, this excellent free download of Lenten reflections for 2019.
- Biola University shares a great resource called The Lent Project with daily reflections.
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland have some good study courses available for Lent: Their 2022 theme is: Following Christ in the Footsteps of the Saints – Guided by the story of St Winefride/Gwenffrewi. Older studies include: Parables and Possessions a six-session study resource based on 2012 the Church of Scotland report of A right relationship with money.; Walking and Praying with Christians of the Middle East and the 2016 addition Pilgrimage. In 2017, they have added Returning Home: Christian Faith in Encounter with other Faiths and for 2018 their emphasis is on Hope. I love the theme for 2019, The Mystery of God, encouraging us to look more deeply into the wonder and mystery of God. For 2020, they asked “What biblical text sets your heart on fire?” in Opening the Scriptures course.
Looking for A Devotional?
- Eloheh provides a free Lenten Devotional: Drawing Closer to Creator & Creation: An Indigenous Journey Through Lent. Sign up on their website and they will send it to you!
- Joy Lenton, a Godspace writer, just published this incredible book for the Lenten season: Experiencing Lent: Sensing the Sacred in Our Midst.
- In recent years, I have used Walter Brueggemann’s A Way Other Than Our Own for Lent.
- You might also like to check out Richard Rohr’s Wondrous Encounters: Scriptures for Lent.
- Or, The Little Book of Lent with a variety of reflections from authors such as Desmond Tutu, Sheila Cassidy and Rowan Williams.
- Renovaré, one of my favourite spiritual formation sites has some excellent Lenten devotionals.
- Ave Maria Press has a broad array of Lenten resources available.
- Chalice Press also has an excellent array of Lenten materials.
- InterVarsity Press also has a very expansive and important list of books for Lent.
- Our devotional A Journey into Wholeness: Soul Travel from Lent to Easter, which may also be purchased in a downloadable bundle here
Want to Focus on Simplicity and Sustainability?
- From Simple Living Works: Let’s Get Ready for a Simpler Lent and Easter.
- Eco-Palms: The University of Minnesota Center for Integrated Natural Resources and Agricultural Management (CINRAM) is working together with the Rainforest Alliance TREES program and Smartwood to certify palms harvested from the forests of Mexico and Guatemala for sale to Christian congregations in the United States and Europe.
- The Oil Lamp has shared several helpful links to sites that suggest ways to incorporate a carbon fast into your Lenten practices. They also have some good basic suggestions for a carbon fast here.
- I particularly enjoyed this link recommended by Archbishop Thabo Magkoba, of the Anglican Environmental Network in South Africa: A Carbon Fast for Lent from 2016. An updated version from 2020 comes from the St. Dennis Parish.
- Earth Ministry’s LeAnne Beres wrote this helpful article about taking a Carbon fast which includes links to other great resources.
Need Resources for Church Worship or Lenten Studies?
- Lent and Beyond – an Anglican prayer blog has some of the best reflections and devotionals around. I particularly enjoyed the Ash Wednesday index and Lent and Ash Wednesday Activities for Families.
- Presbyterian Mission Agency also has good resources for Lent.
- Jonny Baker in the UK always has great resources available for worship. Here is his Lenten link.
- The Lenten resources at textweek.com, as usual form, has one of the most comprehensive resource lists available.
- From Australia: Per Crucem Ad Lucem.
- In New Zealand, Bosco Peters always has good resources listed.
- And from South Africa, John Van deLaar at Sacredise is worth checking out.
- Work of the People has produced some great Lenten studies, reflections & video resources this year too.
- The Ignatian Workout for Lent online retreat is well worth participating in.
- “40 Lent: What do you give up when the world gives out?” from the Jesuits at Loyola Press. It’s a social media series focusing on the way a group of adults copes with the aftermath of a disaster.
- I highly recommend the resources on the Busted Halo website for Lent. Start with this 25 Great Things You Can Do For Lent video and spend some time thinking about what you can do for Lent this year.
Please check out our complete list of Godspace resources for Lent through Holy Week including our free downloads.
Obviously, this is not a comprehensive list so if you know of other resources that you think should be added, please leave a comment here.
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