Introduction To Lenten Worship
On Ash Wednesday, the church marks an important transition, beginning the great cycle of Easter that extends from Ash Wednesday to Pentecost. The season of Lent is not primarily a meditation on the suffering and cross of Christ; this is saved for Holy Week. Rather, it is a season of penitence and prayer, reflection and renewal, all designed to prepare the worshiping community for the remembrance of Christ's death and celebration of his resurrection during Holy Week. More specifically, Lent is preparation for baptism. For new Christians who are baptized on Easter, Lent is a time to prepare for their new identity in Christ. For those who have been baptized, it is a time of self-examination so that they might reclaim their identity as those who have been buried with Christ in baptism and raised with him to new life. Lenten worship is a season for personal and corporate spiritual renewal. It is a time for intense study of God's Word, for meditation, for prayer, and for self-examination. It begins quietly with ashes and build in intensity as the observance of Christ's death and resurrection grow closer. The following entries explore this season, introducing the reader to the meaning of Lent and showing how the Lenten pilgrimage puts the gospel in motion in a convicting and empowering way.
- An Introduction To Lent
- The Spiritual Discipline Of Lent
- Some Questions And Answers About Lent
The Arts In Lenten Worship
On first thought, it may seem that the arts would not have a role in the quiet, reflective, preparatory season of Lent. But, in fact, it is the quietness and reflection of Lent which gives the arts a role as important as in any other season. For the arts are often able to express and call forth the self-examination, meditation, and reflection appropriate to this season. The following section provides guidelines for the use of the arts during Lent.
- The Environment For Lenten Worship
- The Environment For The Services Of Lent
