Lenten Prayer & Fasting Resources

Lent, in Christian tradition, is the period of the liturgical year leading up to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer — through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial — for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Conventionally, it is described as being forty days long, though in actuality it is forty-six days long (Sundays are not included in the tabulation). The forty days represent the time that Jesus spent in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by Satan. This season is celebrated by churches throughout Christianity regardless of denomination or allegiance.

Here at Hillcrest we are entering Lent as a season of contemplation and preparation.  We will be doing a number of things that are different from what we do during the rest of the year including corporate fasting and prayer as well as sharing meals together.  We do not believe that you should do any of these  things out of obligation but rather as a willing response and offering to God as well as an expression of belonging to the community of Christians and Hillcrest.  So, our thought is that if you really would rather not participate, don’t; there is no pressure!

For an electronic copy of the Lenten resource booklet (including more information on fasting, prayer, and other activities), click here.

We will be praying each week as a church for about certain things to access the corporate prayer guide for the week starting Wednesday, March 31, click here.

For a some basic guidelines to healthy spiritual fasting, click here.

For information on the “Daniel Fast,” click here and for recipes that work with this fast, click here.

For a script to participate in the Seder Dinner, click here.

For the Journey to the Cross booklet from Good Friday, click here.