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Lent and Easter

Lenten images: ashes, palm, crown, nails, labyrinth

A gathering of features and other resources centered on the Lenten season. Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, is a period of 40 days, not including Sundays, that precede Easter.

We offer you several ways to explore these resources. Scroll through the items on this page, use the search feature, or choose a topic below:

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Lenten Reflections for 2008

Lenten reflections for 2008 from the the General Board of Global Ministries and United Methodist Women.

 
Seeing Jesus' Face
Easter Evening

by Haniel R. Garibay

"Prestige" is a movie about two rival stage magicians trying to outdo each other with the perfect "disappearing act." In Luke's story of the walk to Emmaus, Jesus disappeared in front of two disciples right after breaking the bread with them. Read more ...

 
'I Have Seen The Lord!'
Easter Greetings 2008

From the Directors, Missionaries, and Staff of the General Board of Global Ministries.

Jesus, the Christ, crucified and resurrected, is with us in our joys and in our suffering. Where will we experience him? Read more ...

 
Re-clothed at Easter: Recollection and Promise

by Elliott Wright, Global Ministries

Easter when I was a child growing up in a series of North Alabama parsonages was a thoroughly religious celebration centered in the church. One of few concessions to cultural practice was permission to dye, hide, and hunt eggs. My sister and I could display the eggs in small baskets held over from year to year but were expected to eat them, or return them for kitchen use, before they spoiled. We were never heard anything at home about the Easter Bunny and we received no stuffed Easter animals, colored chicks, or chocolate rabbits. Read more ...

 
Easter: Focused on the Facts, but Missing the Story?
UMW Reflection by Harriet J. Olson
The presence of the women in the Easter story continues to be a marvel and a wonder to me. Of course, Jesus the Christ has center stage in the narrative; nothing should compete with his role in the story, much less succeed in supplanting him. Read more
 
Wounded for Whom?
Good Friday
by Sally Wisner Ott, Global Ministries Missionary
Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice on the cross - for us. What, then, is the sacrifice that we are to make? Read more...
 
Encounter Between Two Kingdoms
Good Friday

UMW Reflection by Glory E. Dharmaraj

It was Good Friday. In the wee hours of the day, Jesus stood on trial before Pilate, the Roman governor. The latter asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus responded saying, “Yes, it is as you say,” (Matthew 27:11, New International Version); or “You say so,” (New Revised Standard Version). Read more ...

 
Feasting Upon Bread and God's Grace
Maundy Thursday 2008

by Jamie Michaels

It started out as a joke at my young adult missionary class training. Last summer, as we were eating leftover bread from communion, someone commented about how tasty God's grace is; it is warm and chewy, perfectly accompanied by a few drops of grape juice. Read more ...

 
"Faith...Just a Little Faith"
Fifth Week of Lent

By Rev. Meri Whitaker

... As I read the Scriptures for today this phrase kept coming back to me..."I see dead people." You might know, I would get the Scriptures that deliver a seemingly morbid message. Ezekiel was taken to a field that was full of dead, dried bones. The bones themselves said that they were "dried and hope was lost." (vs. 11) Ezekiel did as God commanded. He prophesied and the bones came together, he prophesied again and the muscle and the flesh came upon them but there was NO breath in them. Read more ...

 
Tell Them They Can Live Again
Fifth Week of Lent

UMW Reflection by Yvette Wilson

Young people today are looking death squarely in the face. At no other time in history have young people been so vulnerable to criminal activity, incarceration, sexual abuse, homicide, suicide, unemployment, poverty, lack of health care and homelessness. Read more ...

 

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