Lent

[Andy Broadley]

What is the Army's attitude towards Lent? To what extent and in what form is it observed?

What are you doing during Lent this year ?

 

[something from the fridge]

i don't normally do anything for it. never really thought about it though

 

[InTheFlame]

In Oz, Self-Denial Appeal usually runs around Easter time..

 

[Abiel]

Yup, we have self denial too.

The main lent event is watching Captain suffer as she goes on her annual no chocolate fast. Bless her, she is THE worst sugar/chocolate/caffiene addict that the Army has yet to produce!

I intend to use lent to get a grip of my devotional life. It coincides with my annual emerging from SAD hibernation.

 

[elm0]

The main lent event is watching Captain suffer as she goes on her annual no chocolate fast. Bless her, she is THE worst sugar/chocolate/caffiene addict that the Army has yet to produce!

I was going to disagree, but then I realised that my addiction is not due to the Army, it started before I attended the Army.

I do have a question though..... What is Lent??

 

[kiora]

well our corps is undertaking 40 days of purpose for lent so hopfully alot is going to change during the period of lent, but I am sure I will give something up as well !

 

[something from the fridge]

I do have a question though..... What is Lent??

my example - i needed some pliers so dad lent me some.

 

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

I didn't even make the connection between Easter, Lent and our Self-Denial Appeal...

Lent is an early Christian tradition (nowadays it's mainly Catholics, Lutherans and Anglicans who seem to follow it - be aware though, that they're the only denominations I've heard talk about it - and I only found out about Lutherans being involved in following it just then!), to prepare for Easter, and is done to remember how Jesus went away into the wilderness.

It is the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter - Sundays are 'skipped' in the counting because of them being commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. This year it started on 9 Feb, and ends March 26 (Easter Saturday).

It usually involves some form of fasting - for centuries that meant meat, however now adays, it more than often means a 'limited' fast - meaning one main meal eaten each day and two snacks (making sure the two snacks do not a main meal make). Children are not supposed to fast, instead the parents are supposed to educate them on the meaning on why they fast, and what is shown by fasting.

That's about as much as I know - I've never followed it in my life (probably because my background is Pentecostal/Baptist), but my dad's side of the family know a bit about it - and I learnt a lot from my ex-stepfather's mother (she looked after a presbetry next to a rural cathedral), during the 'stations of the cross' part of the Easter service...

Sasch

 

[elm0]

Oh well, guess I missed it

 

[Abiel]

Every one in the UK knows its lent, because today is PANCAKE DAY!!! We eat pancakes, we race with pancakes, we flip pancakes, we make ourselves sick eating pancakes. Pancake races will be on the news tonight. If I dont provide pancakes for tea, my kids will ostracise me for... as long as they can manage!
Traditionally called Shrove Tuesday, the day before the fast started, so all eggs and fat were used up in a big pancakey feast. Also, people would go to be 'shriven' ie the would go to confession to get their sins sorted out prior to lent.

But mainly, we eat!

 

[Andy Broadley]

After posting the thread last night, I did a little digging and came accross this


http://www.kencollins.com/holy-04.htm

[Full text of article removed for copyright violation by Moderator. Please read the article at the link above]

 

[something from the fridge]

too many words in that last post

we had pancakes at junior soldiers yesterday. i cooked them much to the amusement of the kids. normally my sister and mum run it, but hannah chucked the sads yesterday so it was mum and me. normally mum does the food. but i got her to lead cos she knows what is going on better.

i started out making 8 inch pancakes that were fairly thick, then moved to pikelet sized ones then decided that crepes were the go.

 

[Try]

Every one in the UK knows its lent, because today is PANCAKE DAY!!! We eat pancakes, we race with pancakes, we flip pancakes, we make ourselves sick eating pancakes. Pancake races will be on the news tonight. If I dont provide pancakes for tea, my kids will ostracise me for... as long as they can manage!
Traditionally called Shrove Tuesday, the day before the fast started, so all eggs and fat were used up in a big pancakey feast. Also, people would go to be 'shriven' ie the would go to confession to get their sins sorted out prior to lent.

But mainly, we eat!

This may be where the Amarican Methodist/Episcopalian tradition of the Shrove Tuesday pancake supper began. At any rate it seems a nice tradition. I'm a Methodist, not a Salvationist, and our church is observing Lent by doing Rick Warren's 40 days of Community.

 

[Abiel]

lots of corps in the uk territory are doing that this year. And hi there!

 

[Andy Broadley]

Sounds interesting, what is it?

 

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

I gather it's the same as 40 days of purpose? We did that earlier in the year.

(Can I just say that I hope because someone mentioned it, this doesn't turn into a 'it's great/it's horrid discussion that I've seen in so many threads).

Sasch

 

[Andy Broadley]

I gather it's the same as 40 days of purpose? We did that earlier in the year.

(Can I just say that I hope because someone mentioned it, this doesn't turn into a 'it's great/it's horrid discussion that I've seen in so many threads).

Sasch

I'm afraid I'm still none the wiser

 

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

Ok, basically this is a short rundown on 40 days of purpose.

Rick Warren (minister at Saddleback Church) wrote a book called 'The Purpose Driven Life', with the catchline - what on earth am I here for?

It has various sections to answer that question:

Worship: We were planned for God's pleasure
Fellowship: We were planned for God's family
Discipleship: We were created to become like Christ
Ministry: We were shaped for serving God
Evangelism: We were made for a mission

Basically, it's something the whole church does. Everyone does it (adults, youth, children, cell groups, etc) and on Sundays we have services to 'introduce' the topic for the week, then during the week you read the book (it's written like a devotional - one chapter a day, with questions, etc), and then during Life Group/Cell Group/Bible Study you watch a video, and then have a short study that is more 'in depth' coverage of the topic for that week.

I found it quite good to help 'cement' a few things that I hadn't really focussed on for a couple of years, and it was good having everyone doing it together.

Sasch

 

[Andy Broadley]

Thank You

 

[chickette]

This may be where the Amarican Methodist/Episcopalian tradition of the Shrove Tuesday pancake supper began. At any rate it seems a nice tradition. I'm a Methodist, not a Salvationist, and our church is observing Lent by doing Rick Warren's 40 days of Community.

Yeh, I'm doing the 40 days of purpose by myself over Lent which should be pretty good. I've read it before but forgotten alot, so I thought I'd read it again.