Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday (February 26, 2019) and ends on Holy Saturday (April 11, 2020). Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means "spring." The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry.
Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism. Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of themselves for others.
Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter," and the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.
Whether you decide to give something up for Lent or add a spiritual discipline, we hope this season is one of spiritual growth in Christ as we all move onto perfection and move into Holy Week and Easter!
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Journey Through The Season of Lent
We hope the resources provided in this edition will help jumpstart your planning and give you new ideas both for your individual faith journey and for the ways in which we engage in ministry together!
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Lent is a wonderful opportunity to focus on your faith. Find your path of self-reflection and spiritual discovery, and invite others to join you as you seek to observe a holy Lent.
The United Methodist Lent Quiz: test your knowledge and share with others.
Why Ashes? We see them on Ash Wednesday, but how much do you know about this ancient symbol and its underlying message?
The Great Thanksgiving for Early in Lent: The Lord be with you...and also with you!
Lent Studies for individuals or groups found at Cokesbury.
16 Simple Activities for All Christian Kids
Simple Lent Activities for All Christian Families
Pretzels are great for Lent as they look like two arms folded in prayer. Try this pretzel recipe with your children.
Lent Is Not About Us: A guide from Seedbed for youth workers to share the journey of Lent.
For more resources, visit Discipleship Ministries.
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Here are some great ideas to engage your community and beyond to see the needs around us with fresh eyes and in new ways!
Online Engagement Ideas for Lent: Here are some creative ways churches can engage members and potential visitors during Lent.
Top Three Ideas for Rural Churches During Lent and Easter
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Social Media Graphics for Ash Wednesday and Lent
Faith Sharing - Easy as 1-2-3: we all have a testimony to share our hope in Christ, and it might be as easy as "1-2-3".
Faith Sharing Exercises: UMC Bishop Mike Lowry shares tools, exercises and reflections to help in sharing your faith with others.
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Do you have a desire to be more engaged in Advocacy work through The United Methodist Church in 2019? Here is what you can do.
Creating Change Together: Amid the brokenness of today’s world, God calls us to be instruments of healing – transforming relationships and systems to pursue justice and peace among people, communities and nations. This resource will equip you with essential tools to address public concerns.
A Prayer for Lent from World Vision.
For more Advocacy resources, visit Church & Society and Discipleship Ministries.