Frogs Without Legs for Lent

We're not fully revamping Lent using these materials, but we are supplementing our Lenten observance with them. I'm still working out the kinks of how to reverently make use of the ideas in worship, but the program works really well as an encouragement to small group, family, and individual study, and we'll be hosting classes after worship on it as well. Furthermore, it makes for a great series of topics during Lent. Each evening, in the midst of Holden Evening Prayer, we'll have members of our congregation give testimonials around four key practices- caring conversations, devotions, service, and rituals.

For more information, visit the Youth & Family Institute.

As busy as February has been, I feel like Lent is sneaking up on me. Slouching this way. No meat beginning tomorrow. Uff da.

Transfiguration & the St. John's Bible

Transfiguration & the St. John's Bible
Originally uploaded by perichoresis.

The St. John's Bible project web site is a good resource, but these reflections are especially nice. They set you up to reflect on the text before you view the image.

Sturgeon, 102 lbs., 70 years old

Sturgeon, 102 lbs., 70 years old
Originally uploaded by perichoresis.

I found this to interesting not to share. A friend of mine, Kathy, who lives in Madison, was up helping with work on a book about spear-fishing. This is one sturgeon she saw brought in to be weighed. I'm not that big into fishing, but I'm still stunned.

Lenten preparations

This is an idea sharing post. We're in the middle of preparations for the Lenten season, and I wonder what other folks are doing to prepare. For example, we're going to be using material from the Youth & Family Institute, Frogs Without Legs for Lent, for some of our devotional resources. We're learning a new setting of the liturgy, setting 1 from the LBW, so will be slowly introducing the new musical settings of that liturgy throughout the 40 days. And on Wednesday evenings we're praying Holden Evening Prayer, and making space for people to give testimonials.

On February 25th, we're hosting a half-day prayer retreat, to assist the congregation in praying their way into the season.

On Ash Wednesday, I'll be preaching on the call to individual confession and absolution as an exercise of the office of the keys, confession with a pastor for the sake of the absolution. On Maundy Thursday, when we have our fifth graders receive communion for the first time, we'll be doing some teaching on the relatively new ELCA position that communion is open to all the baptized (a position I thoroughly agree with and support). And as part of the 5th graders preparations for their first communion, they'll be making chalices together with a local potter.

Those are some examples. What all is going on in your contexts?