Using Lent as a Time to Grow

Lent Challenges

Lent Challenges are a way to learn new practices and focus on “doing something” instead of “giving up something.”  Based on the Ash Wednesday Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer to have a “Holy Lent”, these challenges are designed to discover and try new things.  Each time a task is completed, the child gets a sticker or other type reward on a bulletin board.  The child, also, gets a matching sticker to wear.  Once a challenge is completed, the child demonstrates or shows me.

I encourage families to do the challenge together and explore them together.  Once all the challenges are completed, the child gets an invitation to a pizza party with me after Easter.

This can be done as a family-at-home challenge or done as a group class project on a week-night with other children.

Lent week One: Prayer

               An explanation of what it is and why do it (if done at home, then an informational sheet.)

               Obvious ways

• Meals
  • Start & Close of Day
  • Book of Common Prayer
  • When worried about something

Other Ways to Pray

• Praying while coloring
  • Praying using a labyrinth or object
  • Praying in a visual way

Writing a prayer-child writes prayer to be used throughout week.

Choose a prayer practice

Do it

Lent week Two: Community Service

               An explanation of Baptismal Covenant and importance of helping others (if done at home, then

               Informational sheet.)

               Obvious ways

• Helping those closest to you
  • Helping the earth
  • Moving Outward
  • County, State
  • Country
  • World

Our project: choosing a project-

• Who helps
  • What we will do

               Do project

Lent week three: Study and Learning

What is it (studying scripture)

Why do it?

• To know, get help, understand
  • To be able to interpret for ourselves
  • To gain and grow in wisdom & faith
  • To connect to God, Christianity, each other
  • For strength, comfort, etc.

Obvious ways

• History of Bible Reading-OT, NT
  • Families read together
  • Different translations
  • Media presentations

Other Ways to Read and study

• Devotionals
  • With others, Lectio or other out-loud methods.
  • Beginning to end
  • Picking a certain Book or Chapter of the Holy Bible.

Choose one.  Make a picture book for children showing what you have read or write a meditation on what you did for the week.

Lent week Four: Almsgiving

               What is it and Why do it? (If sending home, send home informational sheet).

Obvious ways to raise money to give for a child

• Earning money
  • Chores, Allowance
  • Selling items a baked goods
  • Giving up a food or other item and putting that money towards almsgiving.

               Organizations-many different ways to give to charity

• The Church
• Episcopal Relief and Development

               Pick a project and writing a plan paying for & set goal.  Then do it.

Lent Week Five: Personal Practices

               How do you live out your faith?

What does our Baptismal Covenant say?

               Review the Book of Common Prayer.

               Healthy balance

• Media
• Friends
• School
• Church
• Faith practices

Other Ways

• Goals for one year, five years
  • Write letter to self

Writing a mission/goal statement

Choose ways to help achieve

Do it.