Lenten Practices

Lent is a time when we focus on three aspects: fasting, almsgiving, and prayer.

Many people think of fasting from food, but we can fast from social media, the news, and other things that occupy our time in healthy or unhealthy ways.

Almsgiving is an opportunity to consider new ways in which we can help the less fortunate among us.

A life of prayer helps to bring us closer to the God who created us and loves us.

Some people also choose to add on practices for Lent so that they can draw closer to God.

Take a look at some of the suggested opportunities to engage with these practices over Lent.

Daily activities

Find a daily activity that you can do aligned with one of the aspects of Lent: fasting/simplifying, praying, or scripture. There are activities for the family and those for you to do alone.

Download our 2025 Lenten Activities packet. (This file is 43 pages long, so we recommend you view it online as opposed to printing it.)

Understanding your faith

Each week, find a new reading here from a theologian, and then engage with the reading by answering some questions for yourself. Each week, there will also be an opportunity to reflect on worship with some questions for you to consider. We'll have a few opportunities to gather to discuss what we've read.

Week #1 (March 5-8)
- Theologian - Julian of Norwich - background | Chapter III and Chapter XXVII
- Worship - Encountering God
- Questions:
  - In Chapter III, Julian writes of desiring sickness, and as strange a prayer this is, she got what she asked for. What themes are prevalent in Julian's experiences as depicted in this chapter?
  - In Chapter XXVII, we read the quote that is often attributed to Julian, "All shall be well." What comfort does Julian of Norwich find in her reflections on sin and suffering? How can we reconcile feelings of guilt over our sins with Julian's message of hope?
Week #2 (March 9-15)
- Theologian - Martin Luther - background | Ninety-five Theses (#1-9,82-89)
- Worship - Sacred Spaces
- Questions:
  - What are the implications of Luther's theses for the relationship between the individual and the Church?
  - How does Luther's view of the saints differ from the prevailing Catholic practices of his time (or of our day)?
Week #3 (March 16-22)
- Theologian - Martin Luther King, Jr. - background | Letter from Birmingham Jail (p. 1, paras. 1-5)
- Worship - Silence
- Questions:
  - In para. 4, King writes, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny." What does this quote mean for the people of Birmingham? What does it mean for each of us today?
Week #4 (March 23-29)
- Theologian - Irenaeus of Lyon - backgound | Against Heresies, Book 3, Chapter 1 & Chapter 6
- Worship - Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families
- Questions:
  - How do you think Irenaeus' emphasis on the authority of the apostles in Chapter 1 supports his arguments about the divinity of Christ and the unity of God presented in Chapter 6??
Week #5 (March 30-April 5)
- Theologian - David Hume - background | "Hope in the Face of Suffering and Evil", Murray Rae.
- Worship - Compline
- Questions:
  - What is theodicy?
  - How do the four common responses to the problem of suffering—karma theory, harmony view, soul-making theory, and free-will defense—address the existence of evil, and what limitations are identified for each?
  - I've highlighted two important points on page 127. How do those two statements fit into your own understanding of suffering?
Week #6 (April 6-12)
Week #7 (April 13-19)

Invite Welcome Connect

St. Paul's is developing a new ministry called Invite Welcome Connect. The premise is that to engage with newcomers, we need to invite them to church, welcome them when they come, and connect them with others in the church so they can feel a sense of belonging. Look for this ministry to be explained over Lent, and head here for some readings that expand upon what you hear.

Week #1 (March 5-8)
- Why do we come to church?
- What are your hopes and dreams for your personal journey of faith? For the congregation?
- Transformation happens in our lives when we are able to see old things in new ways, full of possibility. What are some of the transformational possibilities you can imagine?
Week #2 (March 9-15)
- How to invite people to church
- What can you do to make it easy for visitors to show up at our church?
- How can you personalize your invitation to encourage people to visit our church?
Week #3 (March 16-22)
- Three-minute hospitality
- Have you ever been stuck in a conversation that you had hoped would only take a minute? How does this church's change of attitude in the parking lot help to provide a welcome?
Week #4 (March 23-29)
- Welcome & hospitality checklist
- Take some time to wander the church campus and really consider the questions on the checklist. Offer your findings to the Invite Welcome Connect committee.
Week #5 (March 30-April 5)
- Connections - "A story of how we're all connected - church at the diner"
- Have you ever had a similar experience where God came to meet you where you were?
Week #6 (April 6-12)
Week #7 (April 13-19)

Forward Day by Day

Forward Day by Day is the daily reflection booklet available at the entrances of the church. You can also sign up for it online. Click the picture below to be taken to the online site.