Leading To Spiritual and Environmental Well-being
Lent is a 40-day holy season when many Christians prepare their hearts for celebrating Jesus’ resurrection at Easter. In 2023 Lent begins on February 22. If you want your congregation to weave inspirational Creation care messages into your observances and celebrations, it’s important to plan ahead. ICCT aims to provide Creation care resources for activities, programs and worship during the Lenten season.
Greener Lent is just such a resource and is based on the traditional practices of prayer, fasting and giving to the poor. Greener Lent welcomes individuals and groups, Christian and non-Christian, those with faith, those with no faith, and those just interested in the environment. It invites you to discover or rediscover the beauty and value of Lent with a new approach to the practice of fasting. It offers a simple way to adopt a plant rich diet while reducing or abstaining from meat in order to promote spiritual and environmental well-being.
There are four fasting levels, allowing people choice in their level of abstaining and offering doable challenges for everyone, including those who currently eat meat almost every day. Individuals and congregations will receive weekly graphic feedback about the amount of carbon dioxide kept out of the atmosphere.
During Lent in 2022 there were some congregations with a few individuals participating and other congregations with up to 66 participating. In 2023, Lent will be observed from Ash Wednesday, February 22, and will last until April 6. You can choose to participate in these ways:
- Sign up yourself here at the Greener Lent website. Scroll down to the bottom left of the page.
- Encourage members to sign up directly on the Greener Lent website as individuals; here’s a Sample Invitation to Greener Lent to publish in your congregational newsletter.
OR - Roll out a congregation-wide Greener Lent program that offers signup within your own congregational group on the Greener Lent website.
The creator of Greener Lent, Rosemary Herhold, is offering an amazing opportunity for assistance – she will answer your questions and requests at rosemaryherhold@greenerlent.org. She’s also happy to speak with you or meet with you and others at your faith community in the NC Triangle who are considering rolling out a whole-congregation program.
