Why reflect on joy during the quiet introspection of Lent instead of waiting for Easter?

Because when we move beyond surface assumptions, something beautiful emerges, richer and more nuanced than sheer happiness.

A joyful Lent is not a contradiction in terms.

As it turns out, joy is right at home during a minor-key season like Lent – and if joy is there, perhaps there are other seasons of life that joy calls home, too. Joy is a beacon that points us toward God’s unfailing presence, even in the heart of fear and pain. 

Sample our 2024 Lenten series for free with excerpts from our:

• Preachers’ Notes: Preaching commentaries that explore connections between each week’s lectionary texts and The Seed of Joy theme.
• Children’s Message Starters: Kid-friendly connections to the week’s theme help to jump-start your brainstorm for a children’s sermon.
• Words for Worship: Fresh texts for Sunday worship in Lent.
• Tending Joy: This devotional guide offers daily reflections from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday, inviting your community to cultivate joy in unexpected corners of life during this season.
• Enduring Joy: This Lenten Midweek Worship offers a bridge between home devotions and communal worship, offering worshipers opportunities for shared reflection and engagement on one of the previous Sunday’s texts.
• Hearts Broken Open: This Tenebrae Service for Good Friday uses growing darkness to invite worshipers deeper into meditation on Christ’s passion and death.

This is a free .pdf download.