Lent Resource Kit 2018

Lenten Reflections e-Book

From Lent through Easter is both an important and an especially busy time for pastors and Christian leaders. In these pages, some of Pittsburgh Seminary's faculty and program directors offer fresh insights and practical ideas to foster the spiritual nourishment of your congregation—and yourself. The informal remarks of these pastor-theologians have been excerpted from "Conversations with the Dean" (a video series developed last year) on a variety of topics relevant to Christian ministry and witness at this reflective and celebratory time in the church year. May they enrich your ministry and your soul.

Download the Lenten Reflections eBook

Big Book of Lenten Devotionals - Year 2

The Seminary's “Big Book of Lenten Devotionals - Year 2” gives you a valuable resource for personal and corporate Spiritual formation during the Lenten season. From Day 1 through Easter, each section includes multiple biblical passages from the daily lectionary, reflections based on those passages, and accompanying prayers based on each reflection. Seminary alumnae/i, faculty, staff, Board members, and students have contributed to this resource to help enrich your Lenten worship for many years to come.

Download the Big Book of Lenten Devotionals - Year 2

Thoughts for Ash Wednesday on Fasting and Forgiveness

Particularly appropriate for Ash Wednesday, this 20-minute audio by Dr. Edith Humphrey, William F. Orr Professor of New Testament, relates the Old Testament’s teaching on fasting to the New Testament’s teaching on forgiveness. Dr. Humphrey’s talk is also available in printable form. Use both resources to lead your congregation into the Lenten season.

In this 20-minute talk, Dr. Humphrey considers St. Paul’s words on living the attentive life of ascesis, as well as how the prophet Isaiah and the sage ben Sirach help us to understand more about the gospel’s teaching on forgiveness. Why should we ask forgiveness of those whom we think we haven’t even hurt—because our sins hurt everyone in the body of Christ! This talk, from an Eastern Christian perspective, comes from her podcast, “A Lamp for Today: Understanding the Old Testament with Jesus and the Apostles,” and is titled, “Fasting and Forgiveness: Cheesefare Sunday and Forgiveness Vespers” and can be heard online.

For a written version of Dr. Humphrey’s talk, with the same title, see her blog.

Why and How do Christians Fast?

Alumnus the Rev. Chris Brown ’08 helps us understand the reasons for and spiritual benefits of the practice of fasting and the ways Christians have practiced fasting in the past and the present. Pair this resource with Dr. Edith Humphrey’s thoughts for Ash Wednesday on fasting and forgiveness for a two- or three-part Sunday school series.

Download Why and How do Christians Fast?

Jesus Fulfills the Meaning of His Names

Use this study by the Rev. Dr. Steven Tuell, James A. Kelso Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament, with your congregants to show how Jesus the Christ, by his resurrection and ascension, completes the meaning of both of his names. He is Yeshua, our Savior, who destroys our death. He is Emmanuel, God with us, who makes us fully “at one” with God.

Download Jesus Fulfills the Meaning of His Names

Galilee to Golgotha Slideshow

Via captioned lantern slides from the Kelso Museum of Near Eastern Archaeology’s historic collection, this PowerPoint resource, compiled by alumnus the Rev. Richard Byerly ’07, follows the Gospel of Luke’s account in taking you on a visual trip of the journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, the city of Jesus’ Passion. Use this slideshow as the basis of a Sunday school class at the start of Passion week.

Download the PowerPoint Galilee to Golgotha

Download the PDF Galilee to Golgotha

"What Happens to Us Now?" Sermon

Read this sermon by the Rev. Dr. Christine Chakoian, Vice President for Seminary Advancement, for inspiration on how to move your congregation from somber Lenten reflection to celebration of new life in the resurrected Christ.

Download What Happens to Us Now

Hymns for the Lenten Season

Director of the Worship Program the Rev. Kendra Buckwalter Smith ’12/’13 provides a list of some of the most excellent hymns appropriate for Lenten worship. The list includes both familiar and less familiar songs for enriching an expanding your congregation’s Lenten repertoire.

Download the Hymns for Lenten Season PDF

Additional Lenten Resources

For additional Lenten resources, visit the Seasonal Resources - Lent section of our website.

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