Note: During the season of Lent you may want to have the following items available for your gathering space: a candle and matches, a cup of water, a roll or a piece of bread, a cut out of a heart, a cross and a piece of purple cloth.
Welcome
Invite those gathered to bring a designated item and use this liturgy as a way to begin your time of learning together.
One: This is the season of Lent, 40 days to remember and pray, worship and think deeply on the ways we can…
All: Follow in the ways of Jesus.
One: He came as a baby to bring light to the world and how us how to…
(Place a candle on a table in your gathering place and light it.)
All: Follow in the ways of Jesus
One: The Bible tells the story of the way he called disciples when he was on earth and how he still calls disciples today who will…
(Place an open Bible on a table in your gathering place.)
All: Follow in the ways of Jesus.
One: When people were hungry, he gave them food. When people were thirsty, he gave them water. When people needed love, he loved them — even those the world thought were unlovable and called us to do the same as we…
(Place the bread, the cup of water and the heart in your gathering place.)
All: Follow in the ways of Jesus.
One: When it became obvious that we still had trouble being faithful, he made his way to Jerusalem and to the cross so that through his grace we would be able to…
(Place a cross on a table in your gathering place.)
All: Follow in the ways of Jesus.
One: And so, each year, for the 40 days leading to Easter we remember what Christ did for us, pray for forgiveness for our unfaithfulness, worship the God who loved us enough send us the Son and think deeply on how we can…
(Drape the cross with the purple cloth.)
All: Follow in the ways of Jesus.
One: We are here, Holy Spirit, ready for your leading.
God sightings and prayer offerings
Invite each person to share where they saw or experienced God this week. Invite each person to share something — a person, community, experience, event, etc. – for which they want to offer prayer.
Good and gracious God, we thank you for all the ways you were and are present in our lives and in the world. [Invite each person to say aloud the sighting they named earlier.] We bring our prayers to you, prayers for… [invite each person to say aloud the prayer need they named earlier]. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
Connecting with Scripture: Psalm 25:1-10
Read the Scripture aloud the first time using the New Revised Standard Version or the Common English Bible.
As you listen to the Scripture read a second time, make a list of the things the psalmist asks God to provide.
Connecting through story
Watch this episode of “On the Road” with Steve Hartman.
- Why would the young man want to apologize for something he did not do himself?
- Why did he give the woman the money for his band trip?
- How did he know what to do in that circumstance — especially when he was not raised to act in that way?
Connecting with our lives
Engage in dialogue:
- Why do you think the psalmist asks for God’s ways to be made known?
- What do you think are God’s ways?
- In what ways are they easy and in what ways are they difficult to know and follow?
- Why does the psalmist ask to be taught?
- Why does the psalmist ask for forgiveness?
- What does it mean to be humble?
- What does humility have to do with following in God’s path?
- In what ways do we learn the ways of God?
- How did Jesus teach us the ways of God?
- What do you think it means to follow in Christ’s path or ways?
- How do we get better at following in the ways of Jesus?
Teaching points that can be incorporated into your discussion:
- Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on the Saturday before Easter.
- Lent is a season of reflection and contemplation on who Christ was and is, the sacrifices he made for the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation.
- The season is 40 days and is reflective of the 40 days that Christ spent in the wilderness preparing for his public ministry.
- The 40 days does not include Sundays, because every Sunday is, in and of itself, a celebration of the resurrection — a mini-Easter celebration.
- The traditional color for Lent is purple, which is the color of penitence.
- Many traditions drape the cross in the sanctuary with a purple cloth until Good Friday when they cover the cross with a black cloth or remove the cross completely from the sanctuary to symbolize the days in which Jesus descended into hell (you might want to read this part of the Apostles’ Creed together).
- Some congregations refrain from saying the word “alleluia” during Lent as a way of waiting and anticipating the joyous expression of “Praise the Lord!” for the resurrection on Easter Sunday. In these congregations, children often “bury the alleluia” as a concrete demonstration, placing pieces of paper that say “alleluia” in a box or other hidden place.
- Lent is an intentional time of introspection and examination of the ways in which we follow Jesus, the places where we have fallen short and a recommitment to living by Christ’s example.
- Our Roman Catholic siblings often observe Lent by “giving up” something (e.g., chocolate, sweets, social media, gossip, etc.). The thought is to emulate Christ’s sacrifice and remember that sacrifice each time they “reach for the piece of chocolate” or are tempted.
- For Presbyterians, it is much more consistent with our tradition to “take on” something that would deepen our relationship with Christ and emulate his life. These Christian practices can include recommitting to Bible study, serving in a soup kitchen, setting up cots at the homeless shelter or visiting with elderly or homebound neighbors. These practices are still possible this year, though they might look different during the pandemic.
- Christianity (discipleship) is a team sport. We grow in our life of faith by practicing that faith together. No matter what age we are, we can always grow in our understanding of who Jesus is and what it means to follow Christ each and every day.
As a family, think about what each of you personally or as a family could “take on” during the season of Lent that would deepen your understanding of what it means to follow in the ways of Jesus. How will this practice help you understand Christ’s love for God and neighbor better or deeper? You may want to take on one thing and practice it the whole 40 days. You may want to try a different Christian practice each week. They important thing is that we practice our faith. Each week, in these family faith formation lessons, we will “check in” with one another to think deeply about how we are following in the ways of Jesus.
In his book “Growing in the Life of Faith: Education and Christian Practices,” pastor Craig Dykstra outlined several “means of grace” — Christian practices where grace can reliably be experienced.
Review a brief list of these practices here. (Or, these practices are also part of “Growing in the Life of Christian Faith,” a resource from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on practices to restore disciplined life in community.)
These “means of grace” may spark some ideas to try on or for recommitting to following in the ways of Jesus during Lent this year.
Prayer
Close your time together by praying for one another, your neighbor, community and the world
REBECCA DAVIS is the associate professor of Christian education at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina. A teaching elder and certified educator, she served congregations for over 20 years before moving into academic teaching. In addition to teaching and mentoring students, her passion is child advocacy and ministry.
