There are a number of ways to “keep a Holy Lent.” It may also mean staying mindful and thankful of our redemption through Jesus and the relationship we can enjoy with God forever. Or, as our Priest, Don, reminds us, it is a time for being intentional about removing distractions or temptations that get in the way of our relationship with God… a time for drawing closer to Him.
Whatever we do we are the beneficiaries of our own Lenten disciplines. Hopefully, you will find one or more of these resources for study, meditation and prayer helpful for your 6-week journey to unite your heart with God’s.
(Do you have other resources that we could list here? Please send us an email through the form below! Thank you.)
- Follow the daily devotional guide by The Rev. Scott Stoner of Living Compass. Many of us at Emmanuel are using this study and we invite you to join in. Compass has a new Advent and Lenten Devotional every year in addition to other devotional studies for individuals and groups. For Lent, there is Living Well Through Lent A unique theme every year helps us to “practice” a spiritual discipline or character trait so that we may “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind.” The entire body of Living Compass studies are based on this commandment found in both the old and new testaments. —Luke 10:27, and Deuteronomy 6:5.
There are a number of ways you can engage with this material. You can download a copy of the 6 week daily devotional. This is free even though you go through the “shopping cart.” You might also like to get the daily reflection in your email box, available by signing up on this page. Join the Facebook Group – details available on the and learn from others or share your own thoughts. And, new this year, listen to the podcast, or available on Apple Podcasts. So much to think about! Feel free to email us with questions! - Even if Ash Wednesday is over, the words of penitence in the Ash Wednesday liturgy are good anytime, especially during Lent.
- Read again the Ash Wednesday Lirtany of Penitance or Psalm 51 from the Book of Common Prayer.
- Choose to fast from some other form of pleasure as a reminder to pray and meditate on the cross.
- Try praying through the Litany of Humility, which spotlights our human motivations in contrast to the unselfish values of the Kingdom of God, to which we aspire.
- Read the Daily Office or meditate on the Sunday Scriptures.
- Attend one or more of the Diocesan Lenten Lectures at parishes around the Diocese. See EpiscopalPGH.org
- Read a portion of one of the Gospels, or the Psalms every day or as often as you can.
- Set aside a time of prayer, meditation, and/or journaling, Some like to use painted icons from the early church as a point of focus. Perhaps you will find a favorite that speaks to you of the Holiness of Christ.
- Start with 5 minutes a day to focus on God. Amazing results! Do you have a special chair, room, or spot outdoors that you can retreat to?
- Attend Stations of the Cross sometime during Lent. Emmanuel will offer Stations on Good Friday at 7 pm.
- Two special versions of Stations were written by our Vicar, Don C. Youse, Jr. for your own devotion. View or Download them here:
Stations of the Cross based on the Psalms.
Stations of the Cross based on Scriptures. - Meditate on a Catholic version of Stations with Pictures.
- Read about the interesting History of the Stations of the Cross and here.
- Attend several special Services during Holy Week.
- Seek to grow in a certain characteristic of Jesus’ ministry or character. For example, ask to be more compassionate, patient or serving. (See Litany of Humility above) Keep a journal of God’s work in you and/or check-in with yourself at Easter!
- Keep a journal for Lent to record your struggles, prayers, and desires to become more like Jesus. Pick up a “Journal” at a stationary store, Walmart or Marshall’s. Try one of these online journal apps: Diarium, Microsoft Journal, Journey, Evernote, Five Minute Journal, Day App, Penzu, etc. or Day One for iOS.
- Join an ongoing conversation focused on Ash Wednesday and Lent http://www.facebook.com/episcopalian
- Participate in Lent 4.5: Christian Simplicity: a seven-week faith formation program www.earthandspiritcenter.org/lent45
- Take a course through ChurchNext, an online learning environment for Christian Education. It was a vision of the founder, Rev. Chris Yaw, rector of St. David’s Episcopal Church, Southfield, Michigan.
- Sign up for Lent and Easter devotions delivered to your email box from Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com. If you don’t see the pop-up ad, put “verse of the day” or “Lenten devotions” in the subject line. Lenten courses are available in the Church Year section.
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Get the iphone app Way of the Cross (free) from Apps2Sync in the itunes store.
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Read through the Online Stations of the Cross with images, written by a Catholic Sister.
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Follow the daily devotional guide by The Rev. Scott Stoner of Living Compass. Compass has a new Advent and Lenten Devotional every year in addition to other devotional studies for individuals and groups. For Lent, there is Living Well Through Lent A unique theme every year helps us to “practice” a spiritual discipline or character trait so that we may “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind.” The entire body of Living Compass studies are based on this commandment found in both the old and new testaments. —Luke 10:27, and Deuteronomy 6:5.
There are a number of ways you can engage with this material. You can download a copy of the 6 week daily devotional. This is free even though you go through the “shopping cart.” You might also like to get the daily reflection in your email box, available by signing up on this page. Join the Facebook Group – details available on the and learn from others or share your own thoughts. And, new this year, listen to the podcast, or available on Apple Podcasts. So much to think about! Feel free to email us with questions!
OK, that is more than 17. Let’s keep the list growing!
We invite you to share prayers, meditations, or articles you have written or discovered. Use the contact form below. Thank you!
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Do you have other resources that we could list here? Please send us an email through the form below. Use LENT in the subject line. Thanks and God Bless you for a Holy Lent. ✝️