Theme Verse for Lent 2024:
“Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”
Ephesians 2:12-13
Sermon Series:
”No Longer Strangers to the Covenants”
1st Sunday of Lent: Noahic Covenant
2nd Sunday of Lent: Abrahamic Covenant
3rd Sunday of Lent: Mosaic Covenant
4th Sunday of Lent: Davidic Covenant
5th Sunday of Lent: New Covenant
Lenten Challenges
Do one or more of the following:
Define a Temptation or Struggle to Overcome (say “no” with God’s help).
Choose One Resource to Study for Sound Teaching and Meditation.
Identify One Practice to Add to Your Regular Spiritual Disciplines.
Agree with One Other Person to Give Regular Account of Your Progress.
Pray for One Another that this Lenten Season will be Transformative.
Lenten Practices
Spiritual disciplines are simply life-giving practices that help Christ-followers release (put off) old habits and qualities that inhibit their spiritual growth and embrace (put on) new habits and qualities that produce the character of Christ in us. The traditional practices of Lent are Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving (to the poor).
As we come to the commencement of Lent with our Ash Wednesday service on February 14, we encourage you to consider one or more areas of your life that need attention and to adopt one or more of the following practices that might promote spiritual growth:
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Make an appointment with one of our priests – Fr. Peter, Fr. Carl or Fr. Bob – to offer confession and to receive absolution.
The Book of Common Prayer 2019 calls this “Reconciliation of Penitents” and lists it under “The Rites of Healing.” Healing of the moral life begins with confession. James 5:16 states: “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” While confession is good to practice with one another, sometimes confession with a priest is desirable for absolution, counsel, and confidentiality.
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Determine an object from which to abstain (e.g., food, meat, soda, sweets, alcohol, social media) and a frequency of observance (e.g., a 12- or 24-hour period, the entire season of Lent, Wednesdays or Fridays)
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Adopt a new prayer practice (e.g., Morning and/or Evening Prayer, use a devotional app, intercessory prayer, contemplative/centering prayer, examen)
Here are a couple of links to the Prayer of Examen developed by Ignatius Loyola in the 16th century:
Examen this Day article by LuAnn Robertson
Rummaging for God: Praying Backwards through Your Day article by IgnatianSpirituality.com
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Choose a charity to make a generous contribution during Lent.
The Living Faith Family ministries invite you to purchase and donate grocery staples for needy families in the Guadalupe area. Pick up bags starting February 18th by the door eo the Narthex and return them each Sunday during Lent. See 40 Days of Giving for more information.
Consider the Anglican Relief and Development Fund, particularly relief for Israel and Palestine.
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Define wasteful, harmful, or sinful practices that are hindering your life and progress in faith, and use the season of Lent to release bad habits and embrace good ones in their place. Without replacing them, you leave a void in your life that will be filled again by something (maybe the old practices).
Suggestions include:
Stop consuming media at the beginning and/or end of each day, Start praying Morning/Evening Prayer at dailyoffice2019.com.
Stop suffering alone, Start meeting regularly for companionship and accountability.
Use your imagination in relation to your needs and concerns.
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Break away once a week for a half or full day to read, pray, hike, or commune with God in nature. Shorter sabbaths also work any day of the week.
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Read a chapter of Exodus every day during the 40 days of Lent.
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Living Faith Family Lenten Devotional. Use with supplied materials. Lent Family Devotional 2024
Sr. Wendy Beckett, The Art of Lent: A Painting a Day from Ash Wednesday to Easter
Plough Publishing House, Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter
G. Goebel & J. Steel, LENT: The Journey from Ash Wednesday Through Holy Week
Aaron Damiani, The Good of Giving Up: Discovering the Freedom of Lent
Tim Clayton and Alex Miller, Lent with John Donne
Esau McCaulley, Lent: Season of Repentance and Renewal
David Rosebury, The Psalm on the Cross (Intro: “Lent Is Coming!”)
Tish Harrison Warren, Prayer in the Night
Ted Wueste, Trusting God in the Wilderness
For Families: Ashley Tumlin Wallace, The Liturgical Home: LENT (Anglican Compass)
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Form an accountability group for the season of Lent to provide prayer and support as you seek to overcome bad habits and adopt new ones.
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Acts of self-denial and self-discipline can strengthen the will and increase dependency upon God.
For example:
Practice regular, intense exercise
Abstain from eating between meals
Sleep on the floor instead of a bed to identify with the homeless
Abstain from non-essential purchases
Use mobile devices only for essential communications
Abstain from coffee shops and give savings to a charity, etc.
Online Resources
Additional Resources
Area Organizations Focused on Spiritual Formation
Franciscan Renewal Center (Catholic) – retreats, programs, and spiritual direction. On the grounds you will find chapels and quiet places to meditate and pray, including Stations of the Cross and a labyrinth. Visit the website here.
Taizé Prayer Around the Cross – in the church at the Franciscan Renewal Center. Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m.
Spiritual Formation Society of Arizona – focused on formation, direction, and connection. LuAnn Roberson of Living Faith serves as Minister of Spiritual Care at MSW (Music Serving the Word) and volunteers with SFSAZ. Visit the website here.
Resources for Families
2024 LFAC Lent Family Devotional
The Liturgical Home: LENT, Ashley Tumlin Wallace (published by Anglican Compass)
“Simple, Practical Ways to Celebrate Lent with Your Children” - by Susan Yates
“Waiting Songs for Children in Lent” - by Sandra McCracken, Flo Oates, and Tish Harrison Warren
Articles about Lent
“What’s the Point of Lent?” Greg Goebel
“A Long Obedience in a Lenten Direction,” Jack King
“Feasting In Lent,” Greg Goebel
“Fasting for Lent: How to Fast for Lent and Why You Should Do It,” Winfield Bevins
“Lent Disciplines: Prayer, Almsgiving, Fasting,” Lee Nelson
“The Beautiful Simplicity of Lent,” Andrew Bas
Calendar of Lenten Activities
(Non-Living Faith Events are Italicized)
2/13
4:00-6:00 PM - Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner in the LF Fellowship Hall
6:30 PM - Simple Silence – Contemplative Prayer Gathering at Canaan in the Desert (9849 N 40th St., Phoenix). Sponsored by Spiritual Formation Society of AZ.
2/14
12 PM & 6:30 PM - Ash Wednesday Services at Living Faith
2/18
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT – THE NOAHIC COVENANT (Gen. 9:8-17)
2/25
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT - THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT (Gen. 22:1-19)
2/27
10:00 AM - Group Spiritual Direction, led by Debby Smith. Email Debby at debora.adoorofhope@gmail.com for more information and a Zoom link.
Here’s a LINK to acquaint you with the historic practice of spiritual direction.
3/2
8-11:00 AM - Living Faith Lenten Work Day
3/3
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT - THE MOSAIC COVENANT (Ex. 20:1-21)
Silent Retreat Day – Offered by the Spiritual Formation Society of Arizona (SFSAZ) at the Franciscan Renewal Center (5802 E Lincoln Dr, Scottsdale) Register Here
3/6
3/9
9:00 AM-12:00 PM - Stations of the Cross at Canaan in the Desert (9849 N 40th St., Phoenix) – Led by Living Faith’s Daughters of the Holy Cross
3/10
FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT – THE DAVIDIC COVENANT (2 Sam. 7:8-17)
6:00 PM - Service of Healing Prayer in the Living Faith Sanctuary
10:00 AM - Group Spiritual Direction, led by Debby Smith. Email Debby at debora.adoorofhope@gmail.com for more information and a Zoom link.
6:30 PM - Simple Silence – Contemplative Prayer Gathering at Canaan in the Desert (9849 N 40th St., Phoenix) at 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by Spiritual Formation Society of AZ.
3/12
3/17
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT – THE NEW COVENANT (Jer. 31:31-34)
10:00 AM - 2:30 PM - Brunch & Stations of the Cross – SETT-24
Begins at Living Faith with breakfast-brunch before heading to the Franciscan Renewal Center (5802 E Lincoln Dr, Scottsdale) to participate in a time of prayer and meditation with Stations of the Cross. Anticipated return time is 2:15 pm.
This event is sponsored by the SETT-24 Ministry and led by Phil Fisher. All are welcome!
3/21
3/24
PALM SUNDAY – Beginning of Holy Week
6:30 PM - MAUNDAY THURSDAY
3/28
6:30 PM - GOOD FRIDAY
3/29
Time TBD - HOLY SATURDAY - EASTER VIGIL (End of Lent)
3/30
EASTER/RESURRECTION SUNDAY