“I invite you, in the name of the Church,
to the observance of a holy Lent.”

It is an invitation to grow!

And we are calling on all who call St. John’s home to make the 40 days a Lent of time of intentional spiritual growth.

Traditionally, Christians have kept the season by giving something up (fasting and self-denial), giving something away (acts of charity and almsgiving), and taking something on (reading Scripture or a book about the spiritual life, spending time in prayer or self-examination).

We hope our St. John’s family will choose something in each category.

Here are some suggestions to get you thinking…

Give Something Up

• Abstain from eating meat, every day or only on Fridays

• Give up sweets, deserts, candy, chocolate, or sugar

• Refrain from drinking alcohol, coffee, or soda

• Abstain from some kind of screen time: television, movies, games, social media

• Give up shopping

• Forgo eating out or fast food

• Make a concerted effort to give up a negative activity or attitude:

• gossip, fear, worry, judgment, complaining

• Fast once a week

• Fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday

Give Something Away

• Clean out your closet and donate clothing to the White Rock Center of Hope

• Make a meal and deliver it to a neighbor

• Make a donation to Episcopal Relief and Development, the Kellermann Foundation,

• the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, or another charitable organization

• Have your children sort through old toys and donate what they downsize

• Purchase $10 gift cards and hand them out to people on the street

• Clear out your pantry or purchase canned goods,

• giving them to the White Rock Center of Hope

• Pick up a Blessing Bag at church and give it to a homeless person

• Give a special gift of appreciation to a co-worker, employee, or employer

Take Something On

• Attend the Quiet Day on Saturday, March 8

• Attend one, or all, of the Lenten Friday Dinner and Devotion programs (Starting March 15)

• Attend Morning Prayer each weekday at 9:00 am on St. John’s Facebook page

• Read the Bible daily

• Read a book of a theological or devotional nature (suggestions below)

• Have a daily or weekly time of family devotions with your household

• Engage in a daily time of self-examination, and

• make a sacramental Confession before Easter

• Keep a daily time of prayer

• Engage in daily physical exercise

• Attend a Sunday School class or Bible study

What you decide to do is between you and God, of course. But we hope this list of suggestions gets you on the road to making Lent a most meaningful time.