#LiveLent: Embracing Justice is the Church of England’s theme for Lent 2022. Both the Archbishop of Canterbury’s 2022 Lent Book, Embracing Justice (SPCK), and the daily reflections booklet for adults (CHP) have been written by Isabelle Hamley.
It invites us to examine our own lives truthfully, to see the world more deeply and to pray – for the church and the world far and near – that ‘justice may roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream’ (Amos 5.24).
Each week we follow a different thread through the many stories of justice in the Bible to explore how God works with humanity to bring justice, wholeness and salvation to all. As in recent years, the weekly themes of the Archbishop’s Lent Book (supported by online resources for churches and groups) are also explored in daily reflection from the Church of England.
#LiveLent: Embracing Justice offers a daily Bible reading, a short reflection and a prayer, as well as a practical challenge linked to the week’s theme. An accompanying child’s version is also available to help children and their families explore how we can live well together.
The book and booklets will be accompanied by daily social media posts from Ash Wednesday (2 March) to Easter Day (17 April), together with a wide range of free digital resources for individuals, groups and churches.
An update to the award-winning #LiveLent app for iOS and Android – including daily audio – will be available from mid-February.
The six weeks of Lent are a journey. We travel together towards God’s promised world, one where his justice and mercy reign.
For many people, Lent is a time of fasting, of choosing to go without.
This Lent we are called to be speakers and seekers of justice. We reflect on the injustices of the world and ask what God is calling us to do about them. Over forty days, we step into God’s work in the here and now – and in doing so we move from brokenness towards wholeness.
Our journey through Lent is one in which we seek inner transformation to be people of a new world, people who reflect God’s vision that all are created equal.
Our prayer is that this may be a time for you – whether by yourself, in community, or online – to see afresh the vision of God and truly join in making his promise of a world transformed a reality.
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York
2027 Community of Prayer during Lent
2027 Community of Prayer Wednesday Morning Prayer
Through Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday, 2 March 2022 and ending on Wednesday, 13 April 2022, there is an open invitation to all from Bishop Libby to join her from 8:30am - 9:00am each Wednesday on zoom for Morning Prayer. We hope that many people will choose to join in so we can be united in a community of prayer through this season of penitential reflection.
The same link will work for each session and is available from office@bishopofderby.org
2027 Community of Prayer Intercessory Gatherings
During Thursday evenings of Lent from 7.30pm - 8.30pm, Bishop Libby is hosting online prayer gatherings focussed around different themes across diocesan life. We hope to gather people virtually to discover more of what God is doing in these different contexts and to pray into the opportunities and challenges together.
The format each week will vary but will be very participative and all are welcome to join in for any or all of the sessions which will be led by different people with personal experience of that setting.
Week 1, Thurs, 10 March – rural and market towns, lead Carol Coslett.
Week 2, Thurs, 17 March - children and young people, lead +Malcolm.
Week 3, Thurs, 24 March – emerging transitioning contexts, lead +Libby.
Week 4, Thurs, 31 March – diversity and inclusion, lead Dwayne Engh.
Week 5, Thurs, 7 April – city and urban, lead tbc
The same link will work for each session and is available from office@bishopofderby.org
Annual Holy Week Retreat
St. Werburgh, Spondon, is once again providing a retreat through Holy Week for those who could never afford the time or expense of going away to make a residential retreat.
This year, more than ever it is needed, helping us to move out of the last two years of separation and anxiety. All of us are facing different circumstances in a radically changed and more fragile world.
A retreat is an opportunity to find support with prayer, to be restored, it can be a way to think through a life choice or change in circumstances and it is an opportunity to prepare for the resurrection joy of Easter.
This year, they are trying out a hybrid of in person and online engagement, both for worship and the one to one work with a spiritual guide.
If you’d like to know more, or would like to join, please contact Revd Kate Smedley on stwhelps@gmail.com.
Other resources
The Clewer Initiative - Children in the Shadows is a five-week interactive resource for Lent that will help consider the various forms of child exploitation, the scale of the abuse, and the need for us all to increase our awareness and effective response. Each session contains definitions, statistics, examples of current good practice, and ways in which individuals and churches can make a significant contribution to extending care and strengthening resilience and resistance in their communities. There is also a passage of scripture to inspire our response and a prayer to draw our reflections together. Each session concludes with the words of two new hymns, written for The Clewer Initiative by Sheena Evans and Simon Hancock. More information https://theclewerinitiative.org/campaigns/children-in-the-shadows
Prayers, Poems and Intercessions
Lent Spiritual Resources - Creative Prayer responses around six themes [PDF] - Written by Karen Herrick, Harlequin Arts
The Scars Remain - poems for Lent and Easter by Tim Sumpter [Word doc]
Intercessions for the Sundays of Lent 2021 [Word doc]
Living God's Way
Living God's way is a series of resources for children and their households for the season of Lent, aiming to give ideas and spiritual focus during this time of the church year. The series is based on the Diocese of Derby Vision and Values. The resources for each Sunday are not meant as tasks to work through. Rather, they should be taken as ideas which can be selected by children to best meet the age, development, time and resources are available. I aimed to include Bible texts, scope for thought and conversation, craft and activities, worship, prayer ideas, and links to songs, videoclips and PowerPoint from other sites (Please pre-watch any resources from an external site to check for suitability). My prayer is that over the season of Lent, children and their carers will grow in their understanding of God's immense love for each and every one.
Sarah Brown - Children's Adviser
Living God's Way - Ash Wednesday
Living God's Way - Week 1: Transformed Lives
Living God's Way - Week 2: Growing Church
Living God's Way - Week 3: Building Community
Living God's Way - Week 4: Generous Faith
Living God's Way - Week 5: Courageous Hope
Living God's Way - Week 6: Palm Sunday
Music resources
Music Suggestions that connect with themes from Lent and the diocesan vision and values [Word doc]
Singing in Churches - a lockdown guide (19 Jan 2021) [PDF]
