Lent resources
Fasting as a Lenten practice // REGISTRATION
Introductory session: Thursday, February 20 // 6:30 p.m.
The Rev. Claudia Merritt
In the Book of Common Prayer, the liturgy for Ash Wednesday calls us to observe a holy Lent “by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” Fasting is a doorway to all the other spiritual disciplines. People of faith have practiced fasting for millennia as a way to grow closer to God. It enriches our prayer life, takes us out of ourselves, and opens us up to the Spirit. By refraining from our normal diet, our focus shifts and our awareness heightens. Our connection to one another deepens. Fasting as a means of spiritual growth is a part of all major religious traditions. Jesus himself fasted before he began his ministry and John the Baptist ate nothing but locusts and honey.
There are many ways of fasting. During Lent, you may wish to undertake a three-day fast. Or you may wish to choose one day of the week--say, Tuesday--and fast each Tuesday during Lent.
Would you like to explore the practice of fasting, to see if it is something you are being called to do this Lent? The Rev. Claudia Merritt will hold an introduction on Thursday, February 20, at 6:30 p.m. If you have questions, please contact Claudia. To sign up, follow this link.
Lenten retreat with Br. David Vryhof and Br. Sean Glenn of the Society of St. John the Evangelist
Br. David Vryhof of the Society of St. John the Evangelist will come to St. Stephen’s during the first weekend in Lent, February 28-March 1, accompanied by Br. Sean Glenn.
On Friday, parishioners may share a simple supper at 6 p.m. with the two brothers, after which Br. David will give a brief talk titled “Listening to God.” What do Christians mean when we speak of “listening to God”? What do we expect to hear? How do we come to know and recognize the “voice of God”? How will we know this word is from God? In this evening program, we’ll draw from the wisdom of St. Ignatius of Loyola and other resources to explore these questions.
The next day, Br. David will lead a three-hour workshop titled “Humility,” from 9 a.m. until noon. Humility is a virtue that has been highly prized by monastics of every age. Br. David will present an overview of what monastic writers and others have written about this gift, using Scripture and studying the contributions of the Desert Fathers and Mothers, John Cassian, and St. Benedict. We will also explore what humility might look like in our own lives and learn how we might grow into it over time.
Br. David will also speak in the Sunday Forum on March 1 on “The Spirituality of the Fourth Gospel.”
Friday’s supper will be donation-based. There is no charge for the Friday talk. We do ask that you register, however, to help us plan food and seating. The suggested donation for Saturday’s presentation is $25. Sign up below.
"Listening for God" Sign up for supper here
Friday, February 28, 2020 // 6-7:30 p.m. (begins with supper)
“The Gift of Humility” Register here
Saturday, February 29, 2020 // 9 a.m.-noon
Small group focus: Signs of Life
Sunday Forum
In addition to Br. David's March 1 presentation in the Sunday Forum, there will be a three-part Lenten series led by Gardner Campbell. No registration is needed for this free offering.
Dr. Gardner Campbell, associate professor of English at Virginia Commonwealth University, is a popular speaker in our Sunday Forum. Dr. Campbell will present “Listening for God: Contemporary Literature and the Life of Faith,” based on a rich anthology of short stories and essays. Its editors write, “Our hope is that people gathering around the fiction and essays included in this resource will take the occasion to listen for God in new places. There is no telling, of course, where one may hear the Word spoken; it has been said that even the stones will cry it out. The hope of this curriculum, in any event, is that the selections chosen here will raise questions, spark discussion, make the life of faith more an engagement with contemporary American culture and less a flight from it.” Dr. Campbell will discuss the following works:
March 8, Lent II: Flannery O’Connor, “Revelation”
March 15, Lent III: Patricia Hampl, Chapter Six from Virgin Time
March 22, Lent IV: Richard Rodriguez, “Credo”
The Bookshop @ St. Stephen's
Browse the wonderful selection of books in the Bookshop @ St. Stephen’s, just in time for Lenten reading. A number of theological and devotional classics are available from St. Augustine, St. Francis and St. Clare, as well as modern writers such as Evelyn Underhill, Richard Rohr, and Martin Smith.
For those who are ready for a book to be savored slowly, in conjunction with contemplative prayer, the rector recommends Clothed in Language by Pauline Matarasso, also available in the bookshop.
The bookshop also has copies of the anthology Listening For God being sampled in Gardner Campbell's three-part Forum series described above.
Forward Movement
A rack featuring the current edition of Forward Day by Day and other publications from Forward Movement is placed next to Information Central. Many people find Forward Day by Day to be a very helpful part of their prayer life.
Free resources
Free Lenten resources are available on a table across the hall from the parish office. These include the annual Lenten reflections booklet from Westminster-Canterbury and information about the Lenten preaching series offered at St. Paul's Episcopal Church downtown.
Rector's Blog
The Rev. Gary Jones posts reflections on Lent and other topics on his blog, found here.