Lent in Plain Sight
God works through the ordinary. Ordinary people, everyday objects, things we bump up against moment by moment. Each week in Lent, we will contemplate an object that we encounter in our daily living. In doing so, we practice faith that God is present and speaking everywhere, in all things, all creation.
Dear friends,
Many people practice a spiritual discipline during Lent. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving are the traditional ones, but this can really be any practice that helps us live in harmony with God, one another, and creation.
In my own life, I have often struggled to identify a practice that is both meaningful and accessible in the midst of a busy season. That's why I'm really excited that children's sermons during this season are following a series called "Lent in Plain Sight."
In this series, we remember that God works through the ordinary. Ordinary people, everyday objects, things we bump up against moment by moment. A Lenten practice doesn't have to be a huge undertaking or a dramatic change. Even a small act of attention is a practice of prayer.
Each week in Lent, we will contemplate an object that we encounter in our daily living. In doing so, we practice faith that God is present and speaking everywhere, in all things, all creation.
To follow along, take home a bulletin from worship each week, which includes an invitation and a prayer based on that week's object. Or, if you miss worship, you can follow along right here on our website. To go even deeper, you can buy or borrow the Lent in Plain Sight resource for yourself, which includes daily scripture, writing, and questions for reflection.
Blessed Lent,
Pastor Erin
Week 1 — Shoes
Reflection: Have you ever been on a long walk, and you weren’t wearing the right kind of shoes? Have you ever been to a party or special occasion where you wore shoes that made you feel absolutely great? The right pair of shoes can make you feel absolutely awesome! And the wrong pair of shoes can really hurt. There are people in our city this winter who didn’t have the right kind of shoes for the cold, and that was really dangerous.
God’s love is kind of like a good pair of shoes. God’s love makes us strong and ready to face whatever our day may bring. This week in church we heard stories about people who faced some really scary and difficult situations. Even when life is hard, or when we feel afraid, we can count on God’s love to help us stand strong.
Practice: At home this week, pause each time you put on or take off your shoes. Notice if you feel tired and weary, or ready and energized. Where will today take your feet? What challenges will you meet? What strength will you need? Invite God’s love to be with you. As you pause, remember those who must travel long distances or leave their homes, and those who do not have adequate clothing.
Prayer: Say this prayer when putting on you shoes.
“God, thank you for these shoes. Be with those who don’t have shoes today. God, thank you for your love. Your love makes me strong and ready to face this day. Amen.”
Week 2 — Coins
Reflection: Money is complicated. It can make us greedy or lonely if we keep it to ourselves. It can make us happy and free when we use it to take care of the people we love. God teaches us that when we share money with other people who need it, that is a way of showing love and mercy.
Sharing our money is sometimes called “almsgiving.” It’s one of the spiritual practices most common during the season of Lent. When we give alms, or share our money with other people, we remember something very important: The reason that we can care for others is because God cares for us. Everything we have, everything we are, everything we love, is a gift from the God who loves us.
Practice: At home this week, pause when you use coins, paper bills, or credit cards. Notice how it feels in your body when you spend or share money. When have you depended on someone else’s generosity? Who depends on you for care or community support? Take a moment to thank God for providing for your needs. As you pause, remember those who are vulnerable, forgotten, or alone.
Prayer: Say this prayer when interacting with money.
“God, everything I have is from you. Be with those who don’t have enough today. God, thank you for your love. Your love provides for me. Amen.”
Week 3 — Crosswalk
Reflection: Our world is full of walls, borders, and fences. There are fences that keep us safe on the playground. There are big strong walls that are built to keep some people in and some people out. There are even invisible walls that separate us from each other, calling some people insiders and some people outsiders.
You might be surprised to find out that with God, the people who are the heroes of the story are often the people who are on the outside. On the other side of the wall. People who are brave and faithful even though the wall is in their way.
Let’s think together about something that’s sort of the opposite of a wall. Let’s think about a crosswalk. A crosswalk isn’t about keeping people out or in. It’s not about keeping people on one side or the other. A crosswalk is about making sure people can cross safely. Sometimes a crosswalk even has a crossing guard who will go with you. What’s it like to cross a crosswalk? What will you find when you cross over to the other side?
Practice: At home this week, pause when you reach an intersection or cross the street. Take a moment to wonder who might cross your path today. Remember a time when you experienced God in an encounter with a stranger or someone very different from you. Who might you go out of your way to meet today?
Prayer: Say this prayer when reaching a crosswalk:
“God, you work through outsiders and strangers. Help me to connect with someone different from me today. God, you make me strong and courageous. Thank you for your love. Amen.”
Week 4 — Bread
Reflection: Think about bread. What was it before it was bread? Bread started as flour, water, and yeast. A baker had to mix the ingredients and bake in an oven. What was the flour before it was flour? It was wheat, growing in a field. Workers had to plant, harvest, and grind the wheat into flour. And before that, it was a seed, plus sunlight and water. And before it was a seed? Well, that’s a mystery.
There are lots of feeding miracles in the Bible. Stories of when people didn’t have enough to eat, and God provided. But really, bread is a miracle that we can enjoy every day. There is so much that goes into bread! It’s a small miracle for us to remember that God feeds us and we can make sure that our fellow human beings get to eat too.
Practice: At home this week, pause when you eat a staple grain like bread, crackers, rice, or tortillas. Notice how it tastes when you eat it, and how it feels in your belly. Imagine all the places and people who were part of bringing the bread to you: the farmer who planted the grain, the sun and water that made it grow, the mill that ground it into flour, the workers who transported it to you, the hands that baked it. Thank God for each of them. Pray for those who don’t have enough to eat. Wonder who you might share food with today.
Prayer: Say this prayer before you eat:
“Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed. Blessed be God, who is our bread; may all the world be clothed and fed. Amen.”
Week 5 — Oil
Reflection: Think about oil. What do we use oil for? We use oil to cook. We use oil on our skin to keep it soft and protect it. For example, maybe you use lotion after a bath. The part of lotion that helps is oil! Oil is also used in our faith tradition as a sign of blessing. When someone is baptized we mark the cross on their forehead with oil. Or when someone needs healing we put oil on their head too. Oil is used for blessing.
A blessing is a word that is also a gift. God blesses us, and we also can bless each other.
Practice: At home this week, pause when you encounter oil. Take a moment to remember that you are blessed by God. What word from God would be a gift to you today? Thank God for all God’s blessings. Wonder what blessings you will encounter today. Who will you bless? Who will bless you?
Prayer: Say this prayer when using oil:
“Dear God, you anoint my head with oil. Make me secure in your blessings today. Give me a chance to bless someone else too. Amen.”