THE LENT CHALLENGE 2018
Week 1, 2 and 3
The Challenge is to use a form of daily prayer every weekday during Lent. An Order for Daily Prayer, together with daily Readings and Collects is provided. Find a quiet time each day in a comfortable chair to pray and to read a Bible reading, either alone or with someone else. It should take about 15 minutes. You will need a Bible.
AN ORDER FOR DAILY PRAYER
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4.24).
Merciful Lord, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that we may be cleansed from all our sins, and serve you with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Psalm 95.1-5
O come let us sing out to the Lord;
Let us shout in triumph to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his face with thanksgiving
And cry out to him joyfully in psalms.
For the Lord is a great God
And a great king above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth
And the peaks of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his and he made it,
His hands moulded dry land.
A Bible Reading (see Daily Readings below)
Pause for Reflection on the reading.
Canticle (p 126. Part 2)
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
The eternal Son of the Father.
When you took our flesh to set us free,
You humbly chose the Virgin’s womb.
You overcame the sting of death
And opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God’s right hand in glory:
We believe that you will come to be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
Bought with the price of your own blood,
And bring us with your saints
To glory everlasting.
Prayers: For Family and Friends
For the Church
For the World
For those who are sick or in need
Collect of the Day (see below)
The Lord’s Prayer
The Ending: The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen
Week 1 (Collect)
Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are penitent:
Create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Readings:
Wednesday 14th Feb Matthew 6: 1 – 6, 16 – 21
Thursday 15th Feb Philippians 3: 13 -21
Friday 16th Feb Philippians 4: 1 – 9
Saturday 17th Feb Philippians 4: 10 – 20
Week 2 (Collect)
Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
Give us grace to discipline ourselves
in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness,
so may we know your power to save;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Readings:
Monday 19th Feb 1 Corinthians 1: 1 – 19
Tuesday 20th Feb 1 Corinthians 1: 20 – 31
Wednesday 21st Feb 1 Corinthians 2: 1 – 13
Thursday 22nd Feb 1 Corinthians 2: 14 – 3: 15
Friday 23rd Feb 1 Corinthians 3: 16 – 23
Saturday 24th Feb 1 Corinthians 4: 1 – 7
Week 3 (Collect)
Almighty God
you show to those who are in error the light of your truth
that they may return to the way of righteousness:
Grant to all those who are admitted
into the fellowship of Christ’s religion,
that they may reject those things
that are contrary to their profession,
and follow all such things
as are agreeable to the same;
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Readings:
Monday 26th Feb Corinthians 4: 8 – 21
Tuesday 27th Feb 1 Corinthians 5: 1 – 8
Weds 28th Feb 1 Corinthians 5: 9 – 6: 8
Thursday 1st Mar 1 Corinthians 6: 9 – 20
Friday 2nd Mar 1 Corinthians 7: 1 – 9
Saturday 3rd Mar 1 Corinthians 7: 10 – 24
(Subsequent Collects and Readings to follow)