Lent: Between Me & You

Our Scripture stories in this season of Lent draw our attention to covenants of various kinds. Covenants are made between two parties, and things also come in between those parties. With our worship theme of "Between Me & You", we will reflect on the relationship between us and God, the relationships between people, and the relationship between people and the rest of creation. 

The 40-day season of Lent is often associated with the spiritual practice of fasting, giving up something that could come between you and God. You might try this, or another spiritual practice that helps you to renew the relationship between you and God. Here are a few ideas of ways to journey through the season of Lent, which begins this year with Ash Wednesday on February 14 and ends with Easter on April 1.

Lent-At-Home is a booklet produced each year by Mennonite Church Canada, echoing the themes HMC will use in worship, and designed with families with young children in mind. You can download the booklet or ask Jen to put a hardcopy in your church mailbox.

Mennonite Spiritual Directors of Eastern Canada invite any groups or individuals to participate in a Lenten Guided Prayer Experience. 

Pray in colour with one of these Lenten calendars, adding a prayer on each of the 40 days of Lent.

Goshen College faculty, staff, and students contribute to daily Lent (and Advent) devotionals, based on the lectionary Scriptures, that you can receive by email or read on their website.

Living Lent Daily is a daily email prayer break with Scripture and related reflections, with suggestions for further exploration. Living Lent Daily is based on Sacred Space—the trusted online prayer site by the Irish Jesuits.

Pray-as-you-go is a prayerful, musical, scriptural podcast, also from our Jesuit friends. It's not too long (less than 15 minutes) and can set your day in the right space any time of year, including Lent.

Common Prayer, a liturgy for ordinary radicals, is daily prayer you can follow year-round. d365 is another daily online devotional. 

The social justice publication Sojourners once created this 40 ways to live simply for 40 days of Lent. 

CommonWord at Mennonite Church Canada has many options of books to borrow or other resources to use for the season of Lent. If you're looking for a new prayer book to try this season, also check the HMC prayer room or talk to Pastor Alissa.

Follow along with the Lent Scriptures in your own way (click titles to hear sermons):

February 18 – Lent 1: Me & You & the Creatures Too
Genesis 9:8-17; Psalm 25:1-10; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15  

February 25 – Lent 2: Me & You & the Generations after You
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22:23-31; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38  

March 4 – Lent 3: Me & You & Working It Through
Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22  

March 11 – Lent 4: Me & You & Darkness in View
Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21  

March 18 – Lent 5: Me & You & Covenant New
Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-12; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33  

March 25 – Palm Sunday (Lent 6): Me & You & an Alternative View 
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; John 12:12-16  

April 1 – Easter: Nothing between Us
Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; John 20:1-18