The season of Lent (Ash Wednesday to Holy Week) is a time of forgiveness: looking at the things we have done that are wrong, asking God's and other people's forgiveness, and making a promise not to do them again. It is a time for giving up the things that keep us from being loving people and a time for doing extra things that will help us grow closer to God. Lent is a time to be more aware of what it means to love others as God loves us and a time to ask God to help us be more loving, remembering that God is always there to strengthen us. It is also a time to think about our baptism and what it means to be a child of God. Parents can help their children to read the Bible every day, to reflect on the stories with them, and to concentrate on stories about the life of Jesus as he approaches the cross.
As you scroll down this page, you will find resources and suggestions for each week in Lent. Since you know your family's needs better than anyone, you will be able to use these resources and suggestions in ways uniquely appropriate to your family.

 The First Sunday in Lent - February 21

Picture

Mark tells us that Jesus was tested in the wilderness for forty days.  In the Bible, the number forty is always "the time between" - the time necessary before something gracious and wonderful happens. Forty years for Israel in the desert, forty days for the rain in the flood, forty days for Jesus in the wilderness. There are many other examples but these give us the idea. For us, it will be forty days until Easter. So . . . it is not a discouraging time but a time to prepare - to get ready to receive the wonderful grace of God in Christ. 
​The readings for the First Sunday in Lent this year are:
  • Genesis 9:8-17  (Theme: The ancient story of the flood is common in several Near Eastern cultures. Our account has a unique perspective. Here God makes the first covenant with all human, animals, and all creation in every generation - the rainbow is the sign of this peace between God and God's creation. God, we learn is trustworthy: God makes promises and keeps them.) 
  • 1 Peter 3:18-22 (Theme: Baptism, like Noah's flood, cleanses us and seals a promise of God for us - our new life in Jesus.)
  • Mark 1:9-15 (Theme Jesus is empowered by the Holy Spirit. This power enables Jesus to accomplish the mission for which he was sent. Likewise, the Spirit is with us through tough times (times of testing/temptation) as well as good times.
​
This week we focus on the promises of God to be for us and with us always. The trustworthiness of God is something that we can count on and can give us strength an dcourage as we face testing and temptation throughout life. 
​

Resource Corner

Telling the Story
Noah knew he needed to be rescued. So when God told him to build a boat big enough for his whole family and two of every kind of animal, he obeyed! Here is a simple animated telling of the story of Noah ending with the rainbow promise. 
The video below tells the story of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness - slightly expanded from the brief verses in today's gospel lesson. 
Family Activity
The announcement that Jesus makes as he begins his preaching in today’s Gospel is recalled on Ash Wednesday at the signing with ashes: “Repent and believe in the gospel.”

​This is our challenge for Lent; indeed, it is the challenge of our entire life. During Lent, we are invited to strengthen and to renew the promises that we made at our Baptism, to reject Satan and sin so as to live as children of God. Through the grace of God that we received at Baptism, we follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit and know that with Jesus’ help, we will be victorious over sin.

As you gather as a family, talk about the importance of Baptism. At our Baptism, our sins were forgiven, and we promised to live as children of God. As part of the Rite of Baptism, we rejected sin and Satan. Read today’s Gospel, Mark 1:9-15.

​During Lent, we renew the promises of our Baptism, turning again from sin and promising to follow God. Light a candle, perhaps a candle used at one of your family member’s Baptisms, and pray together the Confession of Sin that we use at worship. 
A Confession of Sin
Most merciful God,
we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved you with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will,
and walk in your ways,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
[Book of Common Prayer, p. 360]
Key words and ideas to explore
​(Try to work these ideas into everyday conversation and examples. They don't need to be structured into a lesson plan but are part of how we live out our faith.)​
  • The Ark as an Icon of the Church. Have you ever wondered why we call the main part of our church building the "nave"? For centuries, the Church has seen itself as the Ark - much like Noah's Ark, that provides safety and security as we endure the storms of life. The term nave is from navis, the Latin word for ship. In many Scandinavian and Baltic countries a model ship is commonly found hanging in the nave of a church, and in some languages the same word means both 'nave' and 'ship', as for instance Danish skib, Swedish skepp or Spanish (nave).
  • Lead us not into temptation. This phrase from the traditional version of the Lord's Prayer is often confusing to people. It might make them think that God tempts us, while in today's lessons, the devil is the one tempting. Actually we are asking God to "save us" from temptation - to give us the courage and strength we need to withstand temptation that come out way.

GOdly Play - online!

Click on the video link below to watch the Godly Play Lesson for this week with Mother Mary Kisner. ​A new story series begins this week in Godly Play - The Faces of Easter.  We will follow the life of Jesus from birth to Easter day.
Activities for Children
Click on the files below to download and print the "Sunday Paper" and the "Sunday Paper Jr."  for this week.
sunday_paper_-_1st_sunday_in_lent.pdf
File Size: 132 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
sunday_paper_jr_-_1st_sunday_in_lent.pdf
File Size: 133 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
The Sunday Paper [Junior], to which St. Luke's Church paid subscription, is posted here with permission of the author/illustrator, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard. © Gretchen Wolff Pritchard, The Sunday Paper, 19 Colony Road, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, www.the-sunday-paper.com. All rights reserved. This is copyright material and should not be further forwarded or distributed
​Facebook discussion group 
​Also available for parents is a special Facebook Group where parents can support one another, ask questions, offer advice, share ideas and insights as we work together to strengthen the faith of our children. For permission to participate in this discussion forum, please contact Mother Mary at youth@stlukeslebanon.org

THE Second SUNDAY IN LENT - February 28

Picture
The most ancient cross that we have found in Christian art is a small ivory carving on the side of a box from the later fourth century (around 500 AD)! When execution by crucifixion was commonplace in the Roman Empire, christians were understandably horrified by the cross. Only after the Emperor Constantine outlawed crucifixions could Christians adopt the cross as a real symbol of God's grace. So when Jesus "takes up his cross" and tells us to do the same  -  it is a BIG deal!    
The readings for the Second Sunday in Lent this year are:
  • Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16. (Theme: God promises to bless Abram (Abraham's name before God changed it) with many descendants - a sign of eternal life. This happens when they were quite old making the promise even more astounding. Their new names (Abraham and Sarah) signify their new relationship to God, much like newly baptized Christians as they become members of the new covenant community (The Church).)
  • Romans 4:13-25 (Theme: Paul teaches us that Abrahams's faith, his readiness to believe and act upon God's promise, put him in a right relationship with God apart form any good works he might have done. This same kind of relationship is available to all - Jew and Gentile alike - who place their trust in God.)
  • Mark 8:31-38 (Theme: The disciples think of Jesus as a "worldly" Messiah - a political leader. Jesus teaches them that they need to stop thinking in the way the world thinks and start thinking in the ways that God thinks. That itself may exact a high price.)
​This week we reflect on 4

​​RESOURCE CORNER

​This video offers a simple animated retelling of the gospel story assigned for this Sunday.
A little different perspective on Jesus' teaching about taking up one's cross.
Family Activity
Every family has special moments that they remember and share again and again. In sharing these stories, the meaning and importance of these events develop and deepen over time. The full significance of what they had seen and experienced with Jesus could only be understood after Jesus’ death and Resurrection. As they told other believers about this event and recorded the story for us in the Bible, our understanding of what it means to call Jesus God's own Son deepens.

As you gather as a family, think about some special family memories that your family tells over and over again. Talk about why these memories are important to you. Recall that in the Bible we find many important memories about Jesus that have been recorded for us so that we can believe that Jesus is God’s Son.

Conclude in prayer together that as we continue to read the Bible, we will deepen our understanding of and our love for Jesus. Pray together the Collect for the 28th Sunday in Proper Time:
​
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
​Key words and ideas to explore
​(Try to work these ideas into everyday conversation and examples. They don't need to be structured into a lesson plan but are part of how we live out our faith.)​
  • The Cross. We take the cross for granted. It seems it has always been a symbol of our faith. For early disciples, it was a scandalous symbol and it wasn't for hundreds of years that they adopted it as a sign of faith. In early times, the cross was a means of executing the worst criminals, people found guilty of the most serious crimes - especially against the government. For us, the cross is a symbol of self-denial - being willing to give up things important to us so that others may benefit. With this understanding, we can learn to "take up our cross" in small ways - like giving up something so that others can have enough food and clothing. 
  • Lose life to find it. Lots of times we spend a lot of energy holding onto things that don't really matter. We end up being anxious about these things and in the end, we often find that we never did need them. By letting go, we free ourselves to discover more experiences and opportunities we may not have ever experienced.
  • Changing names. Often in the bible, when someone took on an important role - like Abraham and Sarah - they were given new names by God to show that their lives were being changed forever. In the early Church, when people became Christians, they took new names to show that they were changed by their faith. Because many of us are baptized as children, we are named early in life and have no need for that kind of change. It is also why, when we are baptized, we are "christened" - a word that means being named as a Christian.

​GODLY PLAY - ONLINE!

​Click on the video link below to watch the Godly Play Lesson for this week with Rose Brown. Today Godly Play features the second story of the Faces of Easter sequence - Jesus at 12.
Activities for Children
​Click on the files below to download and print the "Sunday Paper" and the "Sunday Paper Jr."  for this week.
sunday_paper_jr_-_2nd_sunday_in_lent.pdf
File Size: 150 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
sunday_paper_-_2nd_sunday_in_lent.pdf
File Size: 134 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
The Sunday Paper [Junior], to which St. Luke's Church paid subscription, is posted here with permission of the author/illustrator, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard. © Gretchen Wolff Pritchard, The Sunday Paper, 19 Colony Road, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, www.the-sunday-paper.com. All rights reserved. This is copyright material and should not be further forwarded or distributed
​​Facebook discussion group 
​Also available for parents is a special Facebook Group where parents can support one another, ask questions, offer advice, share ideas and insights as we work together to strengthen the faith of our children. For permission to participate in this discussion forum, please contact Mother Mary at youth@stlukeslebanon.org

THE Third SUNDAY IN LENT - MARCH 7

The readings for the Third Sunday in Lent this year are:

​RESOURCE CORNER

​This video offers a simple animated retelling of the gospel story assigned for this Sunday.
​Family Activity
​​Key words and ideas to explore
​(Try to work these ideas into everyday conversation and examples. They don't need to be structured into a lesson plan but are part of how we live out our faith.)

​GODLY PLAY - ONLINE!

Click on the video link below to watch the Godly Play Lesson for this week with Mother Mary Kisner
Coming Soon!
​Activities for Children
Click on the files below to download and print the "Sunday Paper" and the "Sunday Paper Jr."  for this week.
Coming Soon!
The Sunday Paper [Junior], to which St. Luke's Church paid subscription, is posted here with permission of the author/illustrator, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard. © Gretchen Wolff Pritchard, The Sunday Paper, 19 Colony Road, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, www.the-sunday-paper.com. All rights reserved. This is copyright material and should not be further forwarded or distributed
​​​Facebook discussion group 
​Also available for parents is a special Facebook Group where parents can support one another, ask questions, offer advice, share ideas and insights as we work together to strengthen the faith of our children. For permission to participate in this discussion forum, please contact Mother Mary at youth@stlukeslebanon.org

THE Fourth SUNDAY IN LENT - MARCH 14

The readings for the Fourth Sunday in Lent this year are:

​RESOURCE CORNER

​This video offers a simple animated retelling of the gospel story assigned for this Sunday.
​Family Activity
​​​Key words and ideas to explore
​(Try to work these ideas into everyday conversation and examples. They don't need to be structured into a lesson plan but are part of how we live out our faith.)

​GODLY PLAY - ONLINE!

Click on the video link below to watch the Godly Play Lesson for this week with Mother Mary Kisner
Coming Soon!
Activities for Children
​Click on the files below to download and print the "Sunday Paper" and the "Sunday Paper Jr."  for this week.
Coming Soon!
The Sunday Paper [Junior], to which St. Luke's Church paid subscription, is posted here with permission of the author/illustrator, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard. © Gretchen Wolff Pritchard, The Sunday Paper, 19 Colony Road, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, www.the-sunday-paper.com. All rights reserved. This is copyright material and should not be further forwarded or distributed
​​​Facebook discussion group 
​Also available for parents is a special Facebook Group where parents can support one another, ask questions, offer advice, share ideas and insights as we work together to strengthen the faith of our children. For permission to participate in this discussion forum, please contact Mother Mary at youth@stlukeslebanon.org

The Fifth Sunday in Lent - March 21

The readings for the Fifth Sunday in Lent this year are:

Resource Corner

This video offers a simple animated retelling of the gospel story assigned for this Sunday.
​Family Activity
​Key words and ideas to explore
​(Try to work these ideas into everyday conversation and examples. They don't need to be structured into a lesson plan but are part of how we live out our faith.)​

Godly Play - online!

Click on the video link below to watch the Godly Play Lesson for this week with Mother Mary Kisner
Coming Soon!
Activities for Children
​Click on the files below to download and print the "Sunday Paper" and the "Sunday Paper Jr."  for this week.
Coming Soon!
The Sunday Paper [Junior], to which St. Luke's Church paid subscription, is posted here with permission of the author/illustrator, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard. © Gretchen Wolff Pritchard, The Sunday Paper, 19 Colony Road, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, www.the-sunday-paper.com. All rights reserved. This is copyright material and should not be further forwarded or distributed
​​Facebook discussion group 
​Also available for parents is a special Facebook Group where parents can support one another, ask questions, offer advice, share ideas and insights as we work together to strengthen the faith of our children. For permission to participate in this discussion forum, please contact Mother Mary at youth@stlukeslebanon.org

Palm Sunday - April 5

Palm Sunday begins our Holy Week - that sacred time when we remember the great work that Jesus accomplished on our behalf. While the world buzzes around us, we need to try to take some time to reflect during this week on the special message of God;s love given in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. 
​
The readings for the Palm Sunday are as follows:

The Liturgy of the Palms
  • Matthew 21:1-11 (Theme: The great drama of Holy Week begins to unfold as Jesus enters Jerusalem and is hailed "King of the Jews".)
The Liturgy of the Passion
  • Isaiah 50:4-9a (Theme: The reading speaks of a servant of God who suffers persecution but still trusts in God's help.)
  • Philippians 2:5-11 (Theme: Jesus accepted the way of life of a servant and was obedient to God, even if it cost him his life. because of this obedience, God highly exalted Jesus.)
  • Matthew 26:14- 27:66 (Theme: We tell of the events surround Jesus' last hours before he dies for us.)
​This week we focus on how Jesus gave up everything for our sakes.

RESOURCE Corner
The Story of Jesus' last hours
This video tells the story of Jesus' last hours. It is a "lego" video that might be helpful if "the real thing" might be too graphic for younger chldren.
The Passion of Christ
This animated video tells the story of the passion in a more realistic form for those children who might not be as affected by the inherent violence of the story. It may help them understand the real sacrifice Jesus made for us. 
Key words and ideas to explore
​(Try to work these ideas into everyday conversation and examples. They don't need to be structured into a lesson plan but are part of how we live out our faith.)​​
  • Are we able to humble ourselves when we live in a society that seems to value only those who a great, successful and full of themselves? Such people often have difficulty seeing the needs of anyone but themselves. 
  • Jesus sets the example for his followers by making difficult choices to stay true to the work God gave him to do. Jesus did not give in to the ideas of the world around him.
  • Jesus understood the difference between the ways of "the world", and the ways of God.

Godly Play - Online!

Click on the video link below to watch the Godly Play Lesson for this week with Mother Mary Kisner
sunpaper_palm_sunday_a.pdf
File Size: 162 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Click on the file above to download the "Sunday Paper" or the "Sunday Paper Jr." for this week (Palm Sunday).
​ 
Coming Soon!
The Sunday Paper [Junior], to which St. Luke's Church paid subscription, is posted here with permission of the author/illustrator, Gretchen Wolff Pritchard. © Gretchen Wolff Pritchard, The Sunday Paper, 19 Colony Road, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, www.the-sunday-paper.com. All rights reserved. This is copyright material and should not be further forwarded or distributed

Holy Week

Beginning with Palm Sunday, we enter a week of prayer and reflection on the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross. It ends with the quiet of Holy Saturday when we anticipate the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The final part of this week (from Thursday evening through Saturday night) form The Sacred Triduum (or the Three Holy Days). Because we cannot gather as a community this year, we provide resources for home celebrations of these days here.
A collection of resources for the days of Holy Week (including Palm Sunday) can be downloaded from Church Publishing Company by clicking on the file at right.
Click on the video link at the right to watch the Godly Play Lesson for this week with Mother Mary Kisner.
holy_week_activities_for_families_final__1_.pdf
File Size: 7832 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
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