Dear Friends in Christ,
During this 2021 Lenten season, I invite you to participate in Five-Minute Lent on Monday through Saturday evenings from 7:00-7:05 PM via Zoom. Five-Minute Lent begins on Thursday, February 18, and will run through Wednesday, March 31 (the day before Maundy Thursday). The series is called Expecting Life and will follow John 12 verse by verse, which is the chapter just prior to Jesus’ passion, crucifixion, death… and resurrection. Please share this with your parish members and others who may be interested in an accessible way to observe the season together.
Everyone in the diocese is invited to these 5-minute evenings as a spiritual practice we can observe together.
Our evening Zoom link is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82717703921?pwd=MGpHMHNVZGF0Vi9xSjl1dDNmc3hkZz09
Passcode: Lent
Most importantly, I invite clergy and laity throughout the diocese to sign up to lead these brief services. Whether lay or ordained, you are welcome to participate as a worship leader in preplanned services via Zoom, while adding your own 2-3 sentence prayer and a very brief (single paragraph) reflection on the verse of the evening. Leaders do not need any special credentials to lead other than a faithful heart and willing spirit. Our Canon for Faith Formation and Evangelism, the Rev. Natalie Hall, can help you if you would appreciate any assistance in preparing.
Please sign up to lead at:
https://doodle.com/poll/a8rywqikb4mppmw3?utm_source=poll&utm_medium=link
You will receive a preparation sheet via email about your selected date(s).
In so many ways the last year has been a constant time of fasting and self-denial. This year, let’s make the observance of Great Lent a season of hope, sharing a few minutes together at the end of the day, and looking toward the Feast of the Resurrection.
Faithfully,
(The Right Reverend) Dorsey W.M. McConnell, D.D.
VIII Bishop of Pittsburgh
Click here for leader instructions
Expecting Life
Five-Minute Lenten Evening Candle Service
7 p.m.
The evening Zoom link is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82717703921?pwd=MGpHMHNVZGF0Vi9xSjl1dDNmc3hkZz09
Passcode: Lent
All readings are from John 5, NRSV
Click here for a printable version of this schedule
Week 1: Prepare
February 18-24
Hymn: I Want Jesus to Walk With Me
Thursday, February 18
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
Friday, February 19
2There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.
Saturday, February 20
3Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Monday, February 22
4But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ 6(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)
Tuesday, February 23
7Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.
Wednesday, February 24
8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’
Week 2: Celebrate
February 25-March 3
Hymn: All Glory, Laud, and Honor
Thursday, February 25
12The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
Friday, February 26
13So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting,
‘Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord—
the King of Israel!’
Saturday, February 27
14Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written:
15 ‘Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.
Look, your king is coming,
sitting on a donkey’s colt!’
Monday, March 1
16His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.
Tuesday, March 2
17So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify. 18It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him.
Wednesday, March 3
19The Pharisees then said to one another, ‘You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!’
Week 3: Wonder
March 4-10: God, Who Made the Earth and Heaven
Thursday, March 4
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’
Friday, March 5
22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Saturday, March 6
24Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Monday, March 8
25Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Tuesday, March 9
26Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
Wednesday, March 10
27 ‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.
Week 4: Glory
March 11-17
Hymn: Joyous Light of Heavenly Glory
Thursday, March 11
28Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’
Friday, March 12
29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ 30Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
Saturday, March 13
31Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
Monday, March 15
32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.’ 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
Tuesday, March 16
34The crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?’
Wednesday, March 17
35Jesus said to them, ‘The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.’
Week 5: Unbelievable
March 18-24
Hymn: Lord of All Hopefulness
Thursday, March 18
After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.
Friday, March 19
37Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him.
Saturday, March 20
38This was to fulfil the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
‘Lord, who has believed our message,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?’
Monday, March 22
39And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said,
40 ‘He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.’
Tuesday, March 23
41Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke about him.42Nevertheless many, even of the authorities, believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; 43for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God.
Wednesday, March 24
44 Then Jesus cried aloud: ‘Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me.
Week 6: Life
March 25-31
Hymn: Children of the Heavenly Father
Thursday, March 25
45And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.
Friday, March 26
46I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.
Saturday, March 27
47I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
Monday, March 29
48The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge,
Tuesday, March 30
49for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak.
Wednesday, March 31
50And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.’