A Primer on Seasons + Lent + Practices

Each year, Christ-followers hike through a circle of memory and expectation to open  themselves to the presence of God. This circle is made up of special days and seasons. These special days and seasons are a means to shape sacred time, a structure in which to define what it means to be Christian and to call God’s people to respond to God’s loving and faithful presence. Keeping seasons of time with the Christian calendar helps us remember and re-tell the story of Christ’s redemption year after year.

What is the Season of Lent?

Lent means “to lengthen” and is a 40 day journey of following Jesus toward the cross. This year, it is from Feb. 14 - March 28, 2024.   Originating in the 4th century of the church, the season of Lent spans 40 weekdays beginning on Ash Wednesday, and climaxing during Holy Week with Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and concluding Saturday before Easter. Originally, Lent was the time of preparation for those who were to be baptized..a time of concentrated study and prayer before their baptism on Easter during the celebration of the Resurrection of the Christ. But since these new members were to be received into a living community of Faithful Practice, the entire community was also called to a season of preparation.

Lent is a deliberate way for worshippers to “lengthen the soul” through various practices in preparation for death & Resurrection—for baptism & Easter.  Let’s Practice the Seasons Together…

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