Pastor Fritz's Lenten Challenge

In less than a week we'll be eating pancakes, burning the palms, donning ashes and beginning a time of spiritual preparation for Easter. It is traditional to give something (like chocolate) up. I prefer to add. Here are some thoughts:

Add a daily devotional or prayer time to your day.

• Pick up a Lenten devotional guide at church
• Receive a daily email with scripture readings for each day. (Click on the Daily Lectionary check box and put in your email address.)
• Participate in daily online devotions from d365.org
  
• Receive a daily devotional email
• Forget all the guides - find a quiet place, read one of the Psalms, light a candle, lift up to God your worries and concerns and create space and silence to feel God's spirit in the breeze.
• Read through the Gospels (or just one Gospel) paying special attention to the teachings of Jesus. (This is a special challenge from Presbytery Executive Ellen Marquardt.)
  

Read an entire book of the Bible (or two if they're short). If you have small children, use a children's Bible and read it with them. Here are some good starting places:

• Luke or John
• Acts
• Romans (for lawyers only)
• 1-3 John
• Genesis
• Jonah

Practice hospitality by inviting neighbors, friends or even complete strangers over for a cup of coffee, a dessert or even a meal. Explore the difference between hospitality - a cup of coffee and listening ear over a messy table - and entertaining - a sparkling clean house, the best china and the perfect centerpiece.

Covenant with a friend or your pastor to keep the daily office, a cycle of prayers and readings used by many to begin and end each day connected to God.

Keep a journal of God Sightings, taking time each day to note how God is working in your life and in the world.

Select an area of your life to tithe: (Tithing is the "churchy" word for giving 10% of anything to God.) Here are some ideas:

• Go whole hog and for six weeks give 10% of all your income to charities of your choice.
• Every time you go grocery shopping, buy an extra 10% for the local food pantry.
• Volunteer 10% of your non-work time
• Spend 10% of your non-work time with someone you love but has been neglected.
• Reduce your carbon emissions or energy usage by 10%.
  

Give up a major addiction - coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, afternoon cookies - and give the money you save to a cause you really, really care about.