This 6-session experience has been a really good first step for newer folks to make connections with other journeyers and with the church. It covers the basics of our faith in a safe, non-judgmental environment. The class comes with several resources, including a companion reader and a daily workbook. You don't have to use these, but I encourage you to dive in as much as you can to get the most out of this time. Other resources beyond printed materials will also be shared each week. $15 per person is being asked to offset these costs; if this is a hardship for anyone, however, please let us know. The timing for these 6 sessions will take place during Lent, which begins with Ash Wednesday on February 22 and concludes on Easter on April 9. Those who commit to attending will determine the exact timing of these get-togethers.

In this six-week devotional resource, Gospeled Lives will introduce you to New Testament individuals who encountered Jesus, and whose lives were changed. Some responded with joy and gratitude; some ignored or rejected his word to them. This book is not the basis for Bethel’s Lenten Worship Series – Java With Jesus – but it is a good compliment in style and content. Five readings per week of approximately 3-pages per day will include scripture, witness, prayer, and a call for you to encounter Jesus Christ yourself.

The Stations of the Cross are a long-standing tradition among Christians who choose to hold a vigil in their hearts during Lent. From the 14 original stations of the cross, 9 films have been selected from popular authors and theologians of our day, films which embody 9 progressive markers along Jesus’s journey, and allow viewers to make an inward trek from death to resurrection alongside him. Most films run 5-7 minutes each. The series comes with a discussion guide for personal reflection or small group discussion.

Escobar provides helpful insight when crawling through seemingly impossible loss, especially when it collides with the hustle-and-bustle holiday season. This is more than a “How to survive the holidays” guide; it is her true-to-life-reflections on how to honor reality, be honest, hold paradox (both the dark and the light), and borrow hope. If you find yourself weary and facing down a blue Christmas, we hope this series brings you company—you are not alone. You are held in our hearts and prayers and those of us who can are holding hope for you when you can’t. Keep being true to yourself; we are with you.