Lent Courses
Lent bible studies and discussion groups offer an opportunity to study the Christian Responsibility (and indeed, responsibility of all people) for care of the environment.
CLICK HERE
to read comments sent in in Autumn 2010 by groups that have used specific courses Here are a list of resources recommended by CEL members and others. (newest at top)
- Breathe Detox Lent Course
- 2012: Lent 4.5 programme- is a seven-week faith formation program in Christian Simplicity. (American) - do look at it. 4.5 for 4.5 acres.
- 2012 - www.tearfund.org/carbonfast
-provides daily actions and prayers for Lent - starting on Wed 22 Feb
- 2012 And it was good - Responding to God's gift of Creation - Anglican communion Lent Course
- 2011: Aberdeen and Orkney Diocese: Green Lent Course
- 2011: York Diocese Lent Course: Give us this day our daily bread
- 2011: Stations of the Forest
- 2011: Tearfund Carbon Fast - materials, daily emails
- 2010 Lent course: Love for the Future
- Ecumenical Water Network Lenten Reflections 2010.
- Live Life Love Lent 2009
- Omega Climate Course - five session course being updated for 2009
- Tearfund Carbon Fast
- Methodist Church launches alternative credit card for Lent - www.buylesslivemore.org.uk
- Wells for India 2008 - Resource material for Lent
- What does the bible say about climate change? - Methodist Study pack- 2008 - downloadable
- 'What on Earth are we doing? Devon Lent course 2007 - with Radio Devon Resource Pack and CDs - audio files worth listening to added 18 Jan 2008
- The Earth in Our Hands Lincolnshire Churches and Radio Lincolnshire - Resource Pack and CDs from 2007
- Chris Polhill Lent book
- EcoCongregation resources
- Live Life, Love Lent 2 Birmingham booklet 50 Actions for Lent - 2008 edition
- Daily Eco-Deeds (and some other Deeds too)
- Whose World Five Studies Church in Society, Diocese of Canterbury and Rochester
- Sage has some resources which can be used (A Christian Environment Group in Oxford)
Stations of the Forest
DVD - Stations of the Rainforests. - and resource booklet
For Lent 2011, Columban Faith and Justice in Britain has produced a new DVD, Stations of the Rainforests. This revised audio-visual incorporates more global issues related to rainforest destruction, such as the impact of extractive industries, loss of biodiversity and climate change. Links are
revealed with human impoverishment and loss of livelihoods. A Resource Booklet accompanies the DVD, providing the script, an agenda for meetings using the DVD, a reflection for each of the Stations and material for liturgies. £7 inclusive of p&p from Columban JPIC Office, St. Joseph’s, Watford Way,
Hendon, London NW4 4TY. 020 8202 2555. www.columbans.co.uk
2010 Lent course:
Love for the future
Love for the future is the title of the Bath & Wells diocesan Lent course for
2010. It is currently being written, scripted and filmed by a team put together by the Diocesan Environment Group.
The six-week course concentrates on issues of social justice and the environment and covers six main topics; respect, compassion, simplicity, active justice, repentance and hope. Each week's session includes a 15-minute DVD film suitable for house groups and services, also group discussion material, bible study notes and pointers to other resources.The course, which will also be suitable for occasions other than Lent, explores the way that different kinds of spirituality can help generate the attitudes we need to face and influence the future. It argues that to develop family and community life, respond to the environmental crisis, and work towards the Millennium Development Goals we need the six qualities featured (respect, compassion, simplicity, active justice, repentance and hope).
Drawing on the experience and insights of church members from across the diocese, of diocesan advisers and the bishops, the course suggests ways that we can allow God to develop these in us. Preliminary material for course planning will be available in Autumn 2009. Full materials will be available January 2010. Lent begins on 17th February.
For further information see the publications Connect or Grapevine, or the DEG's own newsletter and website, Or you can contact:
David Maggs, Diocesan Social Justice and Environment Adviser on 01749 670777 or at david.maggs@bathwells.anglican.org, or
David Osborne, Chair of the Diocesan Environment Group on 01749 890423 or at osbornepilton@ukonline.co.uk.
Ecumenical Water Network delves into "Holy Waters" during Lent
Blessing of Waters on the feast of Epiphany near the Finnish Orthodox monastery of Valamo.
"Holy Waters" is the theme of this year's Lenten reflections provided by the Ecumenical Water Network (EWN). Starting on Monday 15 February the weekly reflections will explore the connection between the way water is used in different liturgical practices and our "daily water".
"This year's Seven Weeks recall the deep liturgical roots of baptism and baptismal preparation as the heart of Lent, pointing to the use of water by the church at prayer." says the Rev. Dr John Gibaut, director of the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches (WCC). "The Christian community's liturgical use of water has the potential to be a rich source of theological reflection about what water is, and about the care with which it is used."
The texts are being posted week by week on oikoumene.org/7-weeks-for-water along with complementary links and ideas for activities for individuals and congregations. Among them are reflections on Christ's baptism by the Rev. Dr David Holeton of Charles University ( Prague , Czech Republic ), the Blessing of Waters by Elias Crisostomo Abramides of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and South America , as well as "Living wet" by Presbyterian theologian and song-writer Rev. Chip Andrus.
Worship materials for World Water Day 2010 on 22 March and for Maundy Thursday are already available on the EWN website .
The Ecumenical Water Network is an initiative of Christian churches, organizations and movements who advocate for water as a human right and work to promote people's access to water through community-based initiatives around the world. The WCC hosts the network's secretariat and helps to facilitate cooperation among the partners involved.
Sign-up for e-mail updates on the Seven Weeks for Water
More information on the Ecumenical Water Network
Worship material for World Water Day 2010 (MS Word)
Lent Spiritual Discipline - CEL Suggestions for Collective Action
* Cut down on watching Television and have a candlelit meditation instead.
* Adopt a rota of fasting, for example fasting until sundown.
* Miss certain meals every now and again - using the time to pray.
* Eat no meat or dairy products for Lent.
* Shop only for locally-sourced food.
* Give up shopping in supermarkets for Lent.
* Put GOD first in your life - by whatever method.
* SMILE MORE!
* Rise 30 minutes earlier in order to read.
* Stop using your car (if you have a car).
* Follow the TEARFund c-fast - Carbon Fast :- http://www.tearfund.org/Campaigning/Carbon+Fast.htm
* Join in the Ash Wednesday ashes ritual, and maybe use ashes of mourning throughout Lent, for example, wearing a smearing of ashes on the forehead every day.
Wells for India 2008 - Resource material for Lent
Water for the Journey
This material is designed for worship leaders and
those working with children in churches. The aim
is to inspire you to focus on the theme of water,
and the journey of life, and through this to relate to the people we are working with on our water projects.
Children
Exodus 17 1-7 Year A Lent 3
Moses and the Israelites in the desert. Activities
for children, including a drama suitable for a
Family Service “We want water!”
Youth Work
Sponsored Walk & Picnic, discussion points.
Adults
Exodus 17 1-7 Year A Lent 3
A reflection from the Wilderness of Sin to the
Thar Desert of Rajasthan based on the story of
Miriam’s Well.
For your copy
please contact office @wellsforindia.org
The material is free but we welcome a donation to cover costs.
'What on Earth are we doing?
'What on Earth are we doing?' is a Devonwide ecumenical Lent Course
which took place in 2007. Promoted by Devon Churches Green Action in
cooperation with BBC Radio Devon, this is aimed to encourage us to look
at our lifestyles in the context of Lent. The initiative will include a
resource pack for local churches and church groups, presentations,
worship ideas, and Bible study.
Topics to be covered during the series include: Consumerism, Energy,
Food, Transport and Water.
To register an interest to receive further information please send an
e.mail with your name and church/community to
joanie@exeter.anglican.org.
Resource packs and CDs will be available from late January 2007.
A group in Truro Cornwall is also using this pack with modifications for Cornwall
an excellent set of audio talks which I recommend listening to -
http://tinyurl.com/2sc26y
Tim Goringe - Consumerism
Sally Garrant - Water
Esther Langrish - Food
Martyn Goss - Transport
Michael Northcott - Energy
Nia Pearson - Local Story
Go on try one now - You can listen to one whilst you are surfing (if you are
good at multitasking)
The Earth in Our Hands - LENT COURSE 2007 but suitable and available for 2008
'This course is not just for lent, it's for Life'
Prepared by Churches Together in All Lincolnshire Environmental Group, and BBC Radio Lincolnshire
This is an invitation to join together in planet Earth care, 'to act locally and think globally'. The course calls on us to proclaim an ecological Gospel of hope and action for the planet, drawing off the rich resources of the Bible in both Old and New Testaments. The 5 Sessions include interviews with people committed to environmental action. Themes include 'Home is where our eco-effort begins', 'Tread lightly on the Earth', 'Living consciously and simply - consumer choice and trade justice', 'Waste is a misplaced resource & living in harmony with the natural world', and 'Building ecological communities'. Introduction and roundup by the Bishop of Lincoln & Terry Miller CTAL, Chaplain for Environmental Issues.
16 page full colour Course booklet £2.00 each (plus p. & p.), free CD, backed by weekly radio programmes and BBC website.
Chris Polhill
wrote a comprehensive Lent course covering all sorts of
aspects of living with the earth in mind. It is published in 'Eggs and
Ashes' Iona Books www.ionabooks.com
EcoCongregation
Other courses which are downloadable (not necessarily Lent) are on the
Eco-congregation Website.
click on Free Resources and then Module 6.
The LiveLifeLoveLent course was BRILLIANT last year in 2007.
If they are as good as last year I thouroughtly recommend sending off for a pile of 10 or 50 for your church - childrens or adult version
Live Life, Love Lent - Be Generous to Yourself, Your Neighbours & the World - 2007
This initiative comes from the Diocese of Birmingham. It has now been adapted and adopted by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Dr Rowan Williams and Dr John Sentamu.as a 2007 Lent course - with multimedia input. and text phone input.
The vibrant, full-colour booklets contain 50 simple actions to be done throughout Lent.
They range from praying for someone to joining an environmental clean up. Some of the
actions can be done individually, others as a group. The big idea is to inspire people to
perform acts of generosity throughout Lent, that encourage kindness to ourselves, our
neighbours and our planet. Publisher
Such a good idea! Simple , straightforward, and above all do-able. Not just for Lent
either, these actions would improve the lives of all around you at any time of year, so get
into the habit during Lent – and keep it up! Love Life, Live Lent is available in two
versions – children and adults, and can be bought in a pack of 10 or a pack of 50 booklets
at a considerable saving.
(Review by Mary Bartholomew (21/12/06)) Jacket
Paperback
Price: £1.00
Publisher:CHP (Church House Publishing)
Published:Summer 2006
ISBN:0-715-14111-2
Five-week study published by Church in Society, Dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester: :
This is an introduction to Christian environmental thought, the neglect of which undermines our ability to respond to the crisis as people of Christian faith. It is augmented with positive stories from around Kent. The study is newly published: Church in Society welcomes comments which could be considered for a future print run. Details .
-----------------------------------------------
Comments sent in by groups after running courses.
Clun
Methodist Eco-Group and CEL Local Group said:-
We, at Clun, used the Bath and Wells Lent course in 2010 "Love for the
Future", which had a very useful DVD which we found helpful. We are keen to
find something similar for 2011 if possible. The DVD we found added a
different dimension and was easier to concentrate on than just the spoken
word. The whole format was user friendly with the easily printable booklet
for each session.
radfrod also e St Peters Church, Allerton, Bradford On Shrove Tuesday, 2008, we set up an exhibition in the Church Hall, supplemented post-church coffee with freshly- made pancakes, and encouraged both viewing of the exhibition, and, discussions with group members as we ate pancakes together round tables.
We followed this with a Lent Course based on "An Inconvenient Truth", and encouraged the regular Bible Study Group to join in.
(This involved members of Churches Together in Allerton and Fairweather Green )
---
For Lent 2010, two of the group led a Churches Together Lent course entitled "The Earth is the Lord's". based on the Gove booklet of this title by Hilary Barlow . (email them for the worksheet they prepared on this)
|
