Last Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, and we are once again in the season of Lent getting ready to reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus on Good Friday and celebrate the joy of the new life of Easter. The Lenten Challenges are our focus once again as we challenge ourselves to live out our faith in sacrificial ways for others’ benefit. While some fast to focus their attention on God and Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross, we also want our fasting to be a means of feasting God’s blessings for others. We want our sacrifice to benefit others.
One of many lessons we have learned from the pandemic is just how important people are in our lives. When we had to shelter-at-home, we all experienced “interaction insufficiency,” exposing our inherent need for human interactions—this hit all of us, introverts and extroverts alike.
This year’s Lenten challenge starts this Sunday, and we will live our faith in ways that positively affect the lives of people we interact with in everyday life.
2021 Lenten Challenges
Week 1 (February 21 - 27)
Acts of kindness – show kindness to someone, a neighbor, or friend
Week 2 (February 28 - March 6)
Promote Joy – Do something to help people feel joy
Week 3 (March 7 – 13)
Work for Social Justice – Sign a petition, send a letter or any other means of standing up for justice.
Week 4 (March 14 – 20)
Acts of Service – Perform some kind of service for others
Week 5 (March 21-27)
Create Peace – Do something that promotes peace in the world
Week 6 (March 28 – April 3)
Share Faith – Express your faith in a meaningful way
