Lent Courses

Lent bible studies and discussion groups offer an opportunity to study the Christian Responsibility (and indeed, reponsibility of all people) for care of the environment.

Here are a list of resources recommended by CEL members and others. (newest at top)

1. Tearfund Carbon Fast
2. Methodist Church launches alternative credit card for Lent - www.buylesslivemore.org.uk
3. Wells for India 2008 - Resource material for Lent
4. What does the bible say about climate change? - Methodist Study pack- 2008 - downloadable
5. 'What on Earth are we doing? Devon Lent course 2007 - with Radio Devon Resource Pack and CDs - audio files worth listeing to added 18 Jan 2008
6. The Earth in Our Hands Lincolnshire Churches and Radio Lincolnshire - Resource Pack and CDs from 2007
7. Chris Polhill Lent book
8. EcoCongregation resources
9. Live Life, Love Lent 2 Birmingham booklet 50 Actions for Lent - 2008 edition
10. Daily Eco-Deeds (and some other Deeds too)
11. Whose World Five Studies Church in Society, Diocese of Canterbury and Rochester
12. Sage has some resources which can be used (A Christian Environment Goup in Oxford)

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.

Live Life Love Lent 2 - 2008

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

See daily eco-deeds on the lent site of CatholicIreland.net

Whose World

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 .

Sage resources and Sage Bible Studies These are useful resources.