Resources for a Good and Holy Lent
On this webpage you will find
- Materials from the Diocese of Missouri including: Printable resources with daily Meditations; Stations of the Cross reflections from missioners to Diocese of Lui, Sudan; the artwork of a Stations of the Cross.
- A list of weekly Lenten study groups and services, and special Lenten quiet days held in churches throughout the diocese.
- Lenten resources from around the Episcopal Church.
Lenten Materials from the Diocese of Missouri
 Meditations. Parishioners from St. Martin’s have created a gift to one another and to the community by creating a book of Lenten meditations for this year’s season of penitence.
 Read online, on your mobile device, or download this booklet.
Thursday, March 10
Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him. (Psalm 37:7)
By Heidi Gioia
Be still? Wait patiently? Have you seen my to-do list, God? Haven‘t you heard my litany of prayers each day? A cacophony of stimuli and obligations confronts me daily. I try to subdue the world to my desires. But, not surprisingly, it doesn‘t succumb. The daily car pool is one such example. For six years, five days a week, I have experienced this ritual. A little before 3 pm, I join a stopped line of cars heading down a serpentine driveway. Often the teachers are late, or the kids stroll out, oblivious to the world. Inevitably there is someone who creates a bottleneck, talking with a teacher too long or getting out to strap in their children. It's mind -bogglingly slow! Over the years, I've run the full gamut of emotions. But I had to adjust and recast this obligatory time of waiting. I see it not as my time to paint the world in the light that I want, but rather a time to be still and take in the world around me as it is. Sure, some days are still torture, but I appreciate those fifteen minutes of suspended time as something set apart. How much greater, then, must my stillness and patience be in my relationship with my heavenly Father? How can I hear what he's saying if I'm too busy trying to tell him what to say? I think it's only through these human moments of deferral and openness that we learn how to do this. It's then that we have the opportunity like John the Baptist to recognize the Lamb of God in our midst. Dear God: Help me to honor you through stillness. Fill me with silence, even when I think I know how things should be, so that I may have patience to really know and love your creation. Amen.
Stations of the Cross. Jeff Wunrow, fabric artist and member of Trinity-Central West End wrote, "Trinity's 2006 Stations of the Cross are available to a church in the diocese who would like to borrow and install them for the season." Photographs of Trinity's Stations can be seen on the Episcopal Church Visual Arts (ECVA) website. If your congregation is interested, please contact Jeff.
Station 1: Jesus is Condemned to Death by Trinity-Central West End member Alexah Strongheart: "The items that make up Jesus in this piece come from two places: items I received from folks at Trinity, a community that makes up the person of Jesus to me (the razor handle came from Michael Sampson, a golf tee from Charlie Watts, a cabinet handle from Jeff Wunrow, the hair and beard come from scraps of Harry Leip and Ed Riedel’s tile porch, miscellaneous items came from Anne Kelsey and Jim Pfaff), and items from off the side of the road – the stranger – yet another part of the person of Jesus."
 In Lent of 2009, missioners to Lui, Sudan Deb Goldfeder and Advent Rector Dan Handschy developed a Stations of the Cross with meditations based on their experiences in the Diocese of Lui. You can download or view online..
First Station: Jesus is condemned to death
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection: Well into the twentieth century, black Africans were sold into slavery under the Laro tree, which still stands near the Cathedral in Lui. The people of Lui have planted smaller trees around the Laro to support its branches to prevent it from breaking, so that it can continue to serve as reminder of the past. Most of those sold died en route to their destination. To redeem us, God entered humanity in Jesus, and was willing to suffer the worst that human beings can do to each other. Now, nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ.
2011 Services and Programs around the Diocese
Tuesdays
For five successive Tuesdays in Lent, Trinity-St. Louis will be using Marcus Borg's "Embracing an Adult Faith" workbook and DVD series to discuss "issues in contemporary Christian practice and theology." Beginning on Tuesday, March 15 we will gather at 6:30pm for a soup and bread dinner then proceed to the discussion at 7pm. If interested, please purchase the study guide (ISBN: 978-1606740576) from the Cathedral Bookstore or other outlet and RSVP to Deacon Harry Leip (hleip@hotmail.com) so we can set a place for you at dinner.
RSVP (Robe and Slippers Virtual Prayer) is offered at 7 PM on Tuesdays. Evening prayer led by St. Francis' Church-Eureka. Participants need to have a video cam/mic and connection to the internet. For more information please contact the Rev. Sally Weaver, vicar of St. Francis'.
Wednesdays
Online from the Center for the Eucharist. Every Wednesday the Ralph McMichael, diocesan priest and director of the Center, will post a short meditation on the Eucharistic life. This series will run for twelve Wednesdays into the Easter Season. Blog.
Wednesday Morning Bible Study: 10 AM
24 Hours that Changed the World
Trinity Church, St. Charles
A special video presentation and discussion series on the last hours of Jesus’ life for the Wednesdays in Lent. Beginning Ash Wednesday, March 9, through Wednesday in Holy Week, April 20.
Calvary Church, Columbia: Wednesdays in Lent, the 5:30 Eucharist will be followed by a parish soup supper, and discussion of the PBS documentary, “The Calling”, which traces the journeys of four young people preparing to enter the ordained ministry--the challenges they face, and the questions they ask. Please phone the parish office (573) 449-3194 for more details.
St. Martin's Church in Ellisville: each Wednesday in Lent from 6 till 8 p.m.We’ll begin each week with a family pot-luck dinner in Park Hall, then we’ll separate into break-away sessions for adults, youth and children. The program begins March 16 and runs through April 13. Please contact Christian Formation Director Janis Greenbaum to let us know you’ll be attending. More info...
Trinity-Kirksville Lenten Book Discussion Group and Soup Supper 5:15 p.m. March 16, 23, 30 and April 6, 13. Participants will be discussing the book "The Soul of Money: Reclaiming the Wealth of our Inner Resources," by Lynne Twist and Teresa Barker, as well as enjoying a different soup every week.
Grace Church-Kirkwood, Wednesdays, March 23-April 13
(with a parish Seder dinner on April 20)
6:00 - 7:30 p.m., beginning with a light, potluck supper
Lent is a great time for getting back to the basics. Please come and refresh your relationship with Christ as we study the basics of discipleship found in the Sermon on the Mount. The Rev. Dr. Emily Hillquist Davis will lead these sessions in which we will discuss historical considerations and also incorporate ancient practices that allow the living Word of God to reach us and our lives. We will close with Compline. You can come to all sessions or just one or two. Please RSVP to the parish office (821-1806, #10) so we can coordinate supper and child care. Supper will be done on a simple potluck basis, taking turns bringing some dishes to share. With potluck, there is always extra, so please come, even if you have not signed up. Child care will be available upon request, so please be sure to let us know if you would like child care at least two days in advance.
The Episcopal Church of the Ascension, 4520 Lucas & Hunt Road in Northwoods (1 ½ blocks south of I-70), has begun the weekly discipline of Evening Prayer on Wednesdays at 6:00 P.M. Throughout Lent, this service will be followed by reflections on “The Wisdom of the Desert in an Urban World,” based on The Desert: An Anthology for Lent by The Very Reverend Dr. John Moses, retired Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. All are invited to join us in worship and conversation
Great Wednesdays at the Church of St. Michael and St. George
O Lord, Open Thou our Lips: Anglicanism Explained
March 16 The Rev. Jedediah Wynn Fox Anglican Liturgy
March 23 The Rev. Jed Wynn Fox Anglican Theology
March 30 Dr. Robert Lehman Anglican Music
April 6 The Rev. Jedediah Wynn Fox Anglican Spirituality
April 13 The Rev. Jedediah Wynn Fox Anglican Unity
6:30 PM dinner followed by 7 PM class
To RSVP, please contact Fr. Jed Fox
Holy Communion-University City: Lenten Adult Evening Program, Parables of the Kingdom. Wednesday evenings, 6:30 - 8:15 PM, 3/16 - 4/13. Video curriculum of modernized parables to explore the rich meanings in Jesus Parables.
Thursdays
Grace Church-Jefferson City: starting March 17 continuing through April 14, Evening Prayer at 5:30 p.m., supper at 6:00 p.m., and Lenten Study will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will last for about an hour. There will be different leaders for each week and each session is designed to be a stand-alone session. So, if you miss one session, please try to attend other sessions. The Lenten Study will be based on the book, A Time to Turn: Anglican Readings for Lent and Easter Week, by Christopher L. Webber. The book contains short daily readings (1-2 pages) by prominent Anglican theologians. More...
St. Francis Church-Eureka is offering Lenten evenings on Prayer, Thursdays from 6:30-8 PM at the parish house at 210 S. Central Ave. in Eureka. They'll be facilitated by Kristie Lenzen, St. Francis parishioner who has an M.A. in Pastoral Studies from Aquinas Institute.
March 10 -- What is prayer? Why do it?
March 17 -- Prayer: Changing over Time
March 24 -- All of Life as a Prayer
April 14 -- Stumbling Blocks & Stepping Stones
Fridays
Christ Church Cathedral offers Noonday Prayer at One Metropolitan Square, 211 North Broadway, for people living and working in downtown St. Louis. Services will be held on the ground floor, start at 12:05 p.m. and end at 12:20 p.m. More...
Every Friday in Lent, Emmanuel Church in Webster Groves has Eucharist in the chapel at 7:00 a.m. followed by breakfast in the dining room, about 7:25 a.m. Beginning Friday, March 11. More...
Sundays
St. Paul's Church-Carondelet: Evensong services each Sunday of Lent will feature the chanting of psalms, canticles, and hymns. Incense. More...
Single day events
Saturday, March 12, 8 AM-Noon
Lenten Quiet Morning at the Church of St. Michael and St. George
Led by the Rev. Ralph McMichael, Ph.D. "The Eucharistic Life: Listening, Offering, and Remembering"
8:00 AM Continental Breakfast; Morning Prayer at 8:30 AM followed by a series of three meditations, interspersed by 15-30 minutes of quiet from 9:00 AM-noon. More...
 Saturday, Mar. 12, 9 AM-1 PM.
Free soup lunch at 12:30 PM.
Plan to stay the whole time or come when you can.
Discord to Harmony: A Lenten Day of Reflection and Prayer with Singing Bowls
Led by Emily Hillquist Davis, rector of St. Thomas' Church for the Deaf and assistant rector of Grace Church-Kirkwood, this day of prayer and contemplation features Lura Koch playing Tibetan "Singing" Prayer Bowls.
This day is a special opportunity for men and women to experience Christian prayer and meditation and the hauntingly beautiful sounds of singing bowls. This Quiet Day promises soothing sounds, meaty meditations and edgy exercises to help you meet yourself and God in Lent and prepare you for a deeper experience of Holy Week and a joyful celebration of Christ's Resurrection. The day concludes with soup lunch at 12:30 PM.
To register, please call church office at 314-821-1806, ext. 13. If you can't register in advance, feel free to come anyway. There's always enough soup! Grace Episcopal Church, 514 East Argonne Drive in Kirkwood, 63122. gracekirkwood.org
(Photo of the singing bowl used in Christ Church-Cape Girardeau's Serenity Mass.)
Thursday, March 17, 7–8:30pm
A Celtic Path through Lent
Trinity Church, St. Charles
The Rev. John C. Fleming returns to share reflections on Celtic Christian practice. A Celtic Path through Lent, will offer opportunity for prayer, reflection, and learning, as well as laughter--a little holy joy in a solemn season. Celtic practice has had enduring effects on Anglican/Episcopal spirituality and worship. More on Facebook...
Sunday, March 27, 2011 7:00 PM
Church of the Good Shepherd
A time for prayer and reflection based on the worship service of the Taizé
Community in France. This quiet, contemplative service of prayer, scripture, silence and chant invites us to enter the depths of our inner self where we may be still and know that God is God..
Sunday, April 3, 4:30 PM
Taizé Experience, Trinity Church, St. Charles
Candles, silence, chant, prayer—take time for reflection. Listen for God. http://www.trinity-stcharles.org/
Friday-Saturday, April 8 & 9
At*One*Ment: Returning to the Heart of God
Retreat for Women held at the Marianist Center
Refill your spiritual cup and let it overflow! Take a weekend to remember and savor the wonderful goodness of God. We'll be retreating in this expansive old farmhouse, rich with sunrooms and private spaces, views of woods and meadows. You have a chance to be alone and in company, to explore the woods, or rest indoors and pray as we celebrate the deep meaning of the season of Lent. What does "Atonement" mean? What does "At*one*ment" feel like, look like, live like? These are some of the questions we'll explore and ponder together. Facilitators: Susie Skinner, interim rector of Good Shepherd; Becky Ragland, associate priest at Holy Communion; Elizabeth Hines, parishioner at Holy Communion. Cost for this event: Overnight rate: $80 per person (includes single room, meals, and event costs) Commuter rate: $20 per person. Registration is first come, first served, and we have place for 16 participants. More information
Saturday, April 9, 2011 8:30 am. – 3:00 pm. CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
Exploring the Spirituality of the Anglican Rosary: A Lenten Quiet Day
Make an Anglican Rosary, learn its history and the practice of counted prayer in this workshop led by Franklin Kline, cathedral parishioner and postulant in the Anglican Order of Preachers - the Dominican Order. Continental Breakfast, Lunch and coffee provided. Cost is $25, register by April 4. More information or to register: Franklin Kline, H. 314-381-3240. C. 314-374-3290, e-mail: franklin.kline@sbcglobal.net.
 Thursday, April 19. Christ Church Cathedral offers "Women of the Passion: A Journey to the Cross," readings authored by Katie Sherrod. Women from Scripture who were transformed by their encounters with Jesus narrate the story of Christ's Passion through the traditional 14 Stations of the Cross: the widow with the mite, the woman with the flow of blood, the bent-over woman, the woman taken in adultery, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Lenten Materials from around the Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church offers Resources for Lent 2011 including:
- Adult Lenten Reflections In conjunction with the "rebuild our Church in Haiti" initiative, reflection themes include returning to the Lord, renouncing evil, rebirth, living water, children of the light and being unbound or forgiven.
- Young Adult Daily Lenten Meditations Receive a daily Lenten meditation directly to your email inbox each morning.
- Eco-Justice Lenten Resources From carbon fasts to spiritual reflections on creation care and sustainability, make Lent a time to focus on eco-justice.
- Lenten Series: "Where there is Despair, Hope" This Lenten series, created by Episcopal Community Services Foundation in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, allows people to engage issues of poverty in spiritual and prayerful ways. By taking poverty out of the theoretical, abstract, and intellectual realm, and by emphasizing practical approaches, we hope the guide will inspire folk to discern the particular ministries in their own communities to which God may be calling them.
Daily Lenten meditations by email from Episcopal Relief and Development are just one of the many resources offered. Print materials need to be ordered by Feb. 28 to arrive by Ash Wednesday, March 9, 2011. Lenten materials from ER-D and the Episcopal Media Center are offered at no cost other than shipping. More information...
 The Episcopal Church of St. Paul and the Redeemer in the Diocese of Chicago has produced a light-hearted look at some of the history and customs of this somber season of preparation for Easter. The first video in the series considers Ashes. Future videos will address Almsgiving, Penitential Rites, Fasting, Alleluias, and Liturgical Colors. The church, located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood, is one of the six congregations being profiled in the Episcopal Church's Thriving Congregations video series. Their profile is scheduled for release in April.
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