~This page is old. Please see our updated Resources for Lent~

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 2013 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

Some great resources from Lent Event in Australia

The Episcopal Church has a great section on Lenten Resources. already updated for 2019

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.

And of course of Godspace we have several free downloads:

40 Ideas for Lent

Hungering for Life

Maundy Thursday Love Feast and Liturgy

Godspace writer Lilly Lewin also has this excellent free download Experiential Stations of the Cross 

And check out the other resource lists, videos and prayers accessed through our church calendar resource page. 

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. 16 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.

Chalice Press has just sent me 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”

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 for 2017 Into the Desert 

Another great list of resources that is so rich you can get lost in from anglicansonline.org

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 

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland have some good study courses available for Lent: 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.

Biola University in 2015 started a great resource – The Lent Project with daily reflections

Want to Focus on Simplicity and Sustainability?

From Simple Living Works: Lets 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. I particularly enjoyed this link recommended by Archbishop Thabo Magkoba, convenor of the Anglican Environmental Network in South Africa: A Carbon Fast for Lent. They also have some good basic suggestions for a carbon fast here.

Earth Ministry’s LeAnne Beres wrote this helpful article about taking a Carbon fast a couple of years ago which includes links to other great resources.

Looking for A Devotional

This year I plan to use Walter Brueggemann’s A Way Other Than Our Own

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

Renovare, 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. 

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 one of the most comprehensive resource lists available.

From Australia: Per Crucem Ad Lucem.

In New Zealand Bosco Peters always has good resources listed

From Canada Prayer Eleven – Ideas for Lent

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.

Ann Voskamp also has a great idea for a family repentance box which she posted a couple of years ago.

I highly recommend the resources on the Busted Halo website for Lent.

Start with this 25 Great Things You Can Do For Lent watch this 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.