Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Lenten Practices in the Episcopal Church

Our own Rev. Pattiann Bennett made several suggestions this past Sunday on Lenten practices.  Here are some links for some indepth looks at some of them:

Fasting -The practice of fasting and how it can be done regarding your food.  Our priest also recommended fasting from a particular attitude that does not serve anyone's best interests.

Liturgy of the Hours -Interestingly, a recent study came out stating that we don't actually sleep best with an 8-hour sleep cycle.  During a time when life wasn't quite so hectic, nor computers and lights so readily available, people would sleep in a 4-2-4 cycle, where within that 2 hour break, one would take care of babies, pray the hours, and do whatever else married people might get up to in the middle of the night, before sleeping again for another 4 hours.  Perhaps taking a look at your own busy life might be a method of allowing you to pray the Liturgy of the Hours.

40 Ideas for Lent - Sick of giving up chocolate or cookies for Lent? Looking for some new ways to do things differently this year? Check in over the next 40 days and 40 nights for creative ideas to take you from Ash Wednesday to Easter Saturday.

Lenten Reading Plan -This is the Church Fathers reading plan - the language can get a bit formal and dry, but it is interesting to see what has changed over the millenia.

Love Life, Live Lent - Provides the inspiration to live Lent in a way that is spiritually enriching and will transform the world. It encourages people to be generous, think of others and make a difference, without giving up chocolate!' An initiative of the Church of England Archbishops' Council.

Meditations - From the members of St. Paul's in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Burying the Alleluia - Holy Trinitarians all seem to have difficulty with this one. :)

Please add your own ideas or practices.