Practicing Hope Requires Leading Courageously
Eugene Williams, Northern Illinois Conference co-lay leader, says that to practice hope, we must take brave actions. "Giving up power and extending equity is hard to do; especial…
Posted: January 30 2023 at 09:18 PM
Lent starts on February 22 this year. There are many resources available around from around the denomination. Check out the links below:
- Outreach and United Methodist Communications have teamed up to provide customizable Lent/Easter outreach resources that invite people in your community to worship with you. Choose from banners, signs, postcards, invitation cards, posters, and more that can help your congregation create impactful connections. Get up to $200 off your order with code UMCEA23. Discounts are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Find out more here.
- Discipleship Ministries has created Coins for Lent Giving Calendar as a guide for families to collect money to donate to a project that helps those in need. The guide will help the whole family collect coins during the season of Lent and then following Easter, donate the money. Click here for more information and to download the calendar.
- Discipleship Ministries has also created a worship series for Lent titled Learning to Live Inside Out. This series is about looking inward and moving outward. It provides planning notes, preeaching notes, prayers, graphics, lessons and more. Click here for more information and to download the resources.
- The General Commission on Religion and Race has created the free Imago Dei Lenten Bible Study. It is a five-week study written in the style of Lectio Divina. In this form of Bible study all participants are equal, all insights are of equal value, and there are no wrong answers to correct. Download the study here.
- The General Commission on Religion and Race also created the Faithful Lent: Connecting the Practices of Lent and Anti-racism resource, intended for congregations to use in a small-group setting. The purpose of the study is to make explicit connections between the traditions of Lent and the work of anti-racism without forcing either one to be what they are not. Purchase the study here.
- Rethink Church has created a Photo-A-Day Challenge for Lent. Each day, they present a scripture-inspired word for your consideration. Throughout the day, see how the word inspires you or shows up in your life and share your thoughts by taking and/or posting a picture. Click here to learn more.
- The United Media Resource Center has a selection of Lent DVDs and Books available for borrowing. There are resources for all ages. Click here for the adult list and here for the children and youth list.
- Cokesbury, the retail arm of the United Methodist Publishing House, has put together an interactive comparison chart of its Lent studies so Christians can find the study that best fits their need. Click here to access the chart.
- Resource UMC, has curated a list of new studies and devotionals for Lent. The list includes resources available from are available from Abingdon Press, the Upper Room and the Society of St. Andrew to help church leaders and congregants experience Lent as a season of reflection and attentiveness. Click here to access the list.
- The Missouri Conference of the UMC has created a 6-week series that utilizes content from Season 3 of the Faith and Race podcast. It is for congregations that have been, or are currently, listening to the podcast. The series offers a biblically based foundation from which to proclaim God’s desire for Black and White United Methodists, and all people of faith, to participate in the creation of the Beloved Community. Click here to access the study.
- New Mexico United Women in Faith has created a Creation Care Lenten Calendar to help us all become more aware how the daily choices we make about how we live our lives impact people both locally and around the world. Click here to download the calendar.
- The Society of St. Andrew has created a Lenten Devotional based on the scriptures. The devotions were written to feed your spiritual hunger and inspire you to consider and thank God for your own story of redemption. Order or download here.
- Be a Disciple offers different Lenten courses