A Lenten Gift from St. Martin’s-Ellisville. This year forty-three parishioners contributed to a collection of 46 meditations. The daily readings cover the 40 days – as well as the six Sundays — of the Lenten season. Mary Drastal contributed the original cover image; Ruby Downs and Janet Theiss produced the books in the church office.
The concept is modeled (slightly) after Forward Day-by-Day. Contributors were asked to read the appointed Daily Office scriptures for their assigned day. After praying and pondering, they were asked to consider which readings spoke to them and share a personal story or some of their thoughts about why it moved them. Each reading also includes the Daily Office scriptures for that day.
An initial print run produced booklets for parishioners; for those able to contribute, a donation was asked to support Episcopal City Mission. As a Lenten gift to the diocese, the people of St. Martin’s have made this booklet available to us all. You can read it online or download it from scribd.
Link to the online version of A Lenten Gift (at scribd)
Link to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, Ellisville.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori challenges Episcopalians to take on something new this Lent in her Lenten video reflection.
Trinity-Kirksville is running an online Lenten devotional group featuring a daily question for reflection and discussion. The site is http://trinity3kv.blogspot.com/ and is open only to registered readers. For an invitation and more specific instructions, please contact Maria Evans at crankycricker@yahoo.com.
The Rev. Peter Van Horne, Interim at Trinity-Kirksville, reminded us of the words of Arthur Lichtenberger, sixth Bishop of Missouri, who later became twenty-first Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
When he was Presiding Bishop, he offered these
words of Lenten advice:
• Fast from criticism, and feast on praise.
• Fast from self-pity, and feast on joy.
• Fast from ill-temper, and feast on peace.
• Fast from resentment, and feast on contentment.
• Fast from jealousy, and feast on love.
• Fast from pride, and feast on humility.
• Fast from selfishness, and feast on service.
• Fast from fear, and feast on faith.
40Love, from the youth and ministry leaders of Dayton, Ohio, in Province V. 40Love’s goal is to complete 40 acts of mission for the 40 days of Lent, spreading a message of peace, kindness and compassion. The youth developed a devotional guide for the period of Lent. Included are quotes from faith and peace leaders and suggested acts of kindness. Project coordinators also organized mission activities for each of the 40 days. Participants were encouraged to do what they knew they could commit to, during the time period from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday in the Christian tradition. Beginning with service at a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, youth of Dayton will be servant leaders, compassionate givers and loving volunteers, in the service of people in need.
The culmination of 40Love, including all the acts of mission around the community, will be a photo installation in the form of a labyrinth, set up as an interactive exhibit at St. Paul’s, Oakwood, during Holy Week. This will allow parish members and visitors to see the work completed, and the message of kindness, compassion and peace that was spread around the Miami Valley.
http://www.diosohio.org/40love-project.html
http://www.diosohio.org/40love-calendar.html
Come and join the conversation with your diocesan friends about what you are giving up or taking on this Lent.
Visit the diocesan web page for more resources for a Holy Lent.
Tags: Lent, meditation, Prayer, Reading, reflection, Resource
