Lent is a season for deep reflection and taking on intentional practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Through them God works in us to remove those things that are separating us from God and open us up to grow. They prepare us to be open to God’s reconciling love and action in the world and in us through Jesus Christ. We become ready to enter again into the joy of Easter.
Below are a number of resources to enrich your Lenten season–a time of growth and promise held in a spirit of penitence and humility.
Lenten Course
This Lent we will be discovering what our spiritual type is and what exploring how our type is a vehicle for our spiritual growth. An awareness of what our spiritual type is guides what form of prayers will work best for us, what spiritual practices will feel most natural, and help us discover ways to deepen our spiritual life. We will also learn how to keep our spiritual life healthy and where we may need greater balance. This will be a joint class between St. Martin’s and 1st Lutheran, offered via zoom, on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm., beginning Feb. 24 and ending March 24. The course is based on Corinne Ware’s book “Discover Your Spiritual Type”. You are welcome to buy the book; however, it is not necessary to purchase and read the book to participate in the course.
Here is an outline of the remaining sessions:
March 17: Making Decisions for growth
March 24: Jesus as a model of wholeness
If you would like to participate in the course, email the office at (officestmartins@gmail.com) so that we can send you the link.
Lent-in-a-Bag
Lent is a season to prepare ourselves for the Resurrection, to new growth and renewed life by removing and changing those aspects of our lives that separate us from God, one another and ourselves. Like a seed preparing to sprout that needs the right water, temperature and soil, our souls need the right environment as well. To offer some resources to support your Lenten journey, we have created Lent-in-a-Bag, an idea from the Anglican website Building Faith. The bag contains a number of items to use during the season, including ashes, prayers, devotional objects and more. If you would like one of these Bags, please email the office at (officestmartins@gmail.com ). You are welcome to pick them up at the church just call the office at 403-249-3014.
Audio reflections from Episcopal Relief and Development–Lent
Week 1
February 17th- Ash Wednesday
February 18th
February 19th
Week 2
February 22nd
February 23rd
February 24th
February 25th
February 26th
Week 3
March 1st
March 2nd
March 3rd
March 4th
March 5th
Week 4
March 8th
March 9th
March 10th
March 11th
March 12th
Week 5
March 15th
March 16th
March 17th
March 18th
March 19th
March 22nd
March 23rd
March 24th
March 25th
March 26th
Click here for the pdf of these devotions: https://www.episcopalrelief.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Lent-2021-English-BlackWhite.pdf
PWRDF is offering daily audio recordings every week on the Sunday’s gospel from 7 different people. Click here to listen: https://pwrdf.org/lent2020/
For some lighter Lenten learning, here is the link for Lenten Madness!
https://www.lentmadness.org/about/
Some books to consider: “Words of Life: Jesus and the Ten Commandments” by Adam Hamilton and “Entering the Passion: A Beginner’s Guide to Holy Week” by Amy-Jill Levine.
Resources for Holy Week, Stations of the Cross and the Easter Vigil will be posted shortly.